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de·vote (dĭ-vōt)
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tr.v. de·vot·ed, de·vot·ing, de·votes
1. To give or apply (one's time, attention, or self, for example) entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause, or person.
2. To set apart for a specific purpose or use: land devoted to mining.
[Latin dēvovēre, dēvōt-, to vow : dē-, de- + vovēre, to vow.]
de·votement n.
Synonyms: devote, dedicate, consecrate, pledge
These verbs mean to give to a particular end and especially to a higher purpose. Devote implies faithfulness and loyalty: Nurses devote themselves to the care of the sick.
Dedicate connotes a solemn, often formal commitment: "To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes" (Woodrow Wilson).
Consecrate suggests sacred commitment: His entire life is consecrated to science.
To pledge is to back a personal commitment by a solemn promise: "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people" (Franklin D. Roosevelt).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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