edify

UK: /ˈɛdɪˌfaɪ/ US: /ˈɛdəˌfaɪ/ ,(ed′ə fī)

Inflections of 'edify' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

edifies

v 3rd person singular

edifying

v pres p

edified

v past

edified

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ed•i•fy /ˈɛdəˌfaɪ/   v. [~ + object] , -fied, -fy•ing. 

1. to instruct or benefit, esp. morally or spiritually; uplift;
   enlighten:
   They read bible stories to edify their young children.

ed•i•fy•ing, adj.: 

an edifying speech to improve morale among the counselors.

ed•i•fi•ca•tion /ˌɛdəfɪˈkeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ed•i•fy  (ed′ə fī), v.t., -fied, -fy•ing. 

1. to instruct or benefit, esp. morally or spiritually;
   uplift:
   religious paintings that edify the viewer.

• Latin aedificāre to build, equivalent. to aedi- (stem of aedes) house, temple + -ficāre -fy
• Anglo-French, Old French edifier
• Middle English edifien 1300–50

ed′i•fi′er, n. 
ed′i•fy′ing•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

edify / ˈɛdɪˌfaɪ/ verb ( -fies, -fying, -fied)

1. (transitive) to improve the morality, intellect, etc, of, esp by instruction

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French edifier, from Latin aedificāre to construct, from aedēs a dwelling, temple + facere to make

ˈediˌfier noun

ˈediˌfying adjective

ˈediˌfyingly adverb