Adjacent Words

Devotion definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DEVOTION, n.
1. The state of being dedicated, consecrated, or solemnly set apart for a particular purpose.
2. A solemn attention to the Supreme Being in worship; a yielding of the heart and affections to God, with reverence, faith and piety, in religious duties, particularly in prayer and meditation; devoutness.
3. External worship; acts of religion; performance of religious duties.
As I passed by and beheld your devotions. Acts 17.
4. Prayer to the Supreme Being. A Christian will be regular in his morning and evening devotions.
5. An act of reverence, respect or ceremony.
6. Ardent love or affection; attachment manifested by constant attention; as, the duke was distinguished by his devotion to the king, and to the interest of the nation.
7. Earnestness; ardor; eagerness.
He seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him.
8. Disposal; power of disposing of; state of dependence.
Arundel castle would keep that rich corner of the country at his majestys devotion.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: feelings of ardent love; "their devotion to each other was beautiful" [syn: devotion, devotedness]
2: commitment to some purpose; "the devotion of his time and wealth to science"
3: religious zeal; the willingness to serve God [syn: idolatry, devotion, veneration, cultism]
4: (usually plural) religious observance or prayers (usually spoken silently); "he returned to his devotions"

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 13th century 1. a. religious fervor ; piety b. an act of prayer or private worship — usually used in plural c. a religious exercise or practice other than the regular corporate worship of a congregation 2. a. the act of devoting <devotion of time and energy> b. the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal <her devotion to the cause> <filial devotion> 3. obsolete the object of one's devotion Synonyms: see fidelity

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 (usu. foll. by to) enthusiastic attachment or loyalty (to a person or cause); great love. 2 a religious worship. b (in pl.) prayers. c devoutness, religious fervour. Derivatives: devotional adj. Etymology: ME f. OF devotion or L devotio (as DEVOTE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Devotion De*vo"tion, n. [F. d['e]votion, L. devotio.] 1. The act of devoting; consecration. 2. The state of being devoted; addiction; eager inclination; strong attachment love or affection; zeal; especially, feelings toward God appropriately expressed by acts of worship; devoutness. Genius animated by a fervent spirit of devotion. --Macaulay. 3. Act of devotedness or devoutness; manifestation of strong attachment; act of worship; prayer. ``The love of public devotion.'' --Hooker. 4. Disposal; power of disposal. [Obs.] They are entirely at our devotion, and may be turned backward and forward, as we please. --Godwin. 5. A thing consecrated; an object of devotion. [R.] Churches and altars, priests and all devotions, Tumbled together into rude chaos. --Beau. & Fl. Days of devotion. See under Day. Syn: Consecration; devoutness; religiousness; piety; attachment; devotedness; ardor; earnestness.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Devotion is great love, affection, or admiration for someone. At first she was flattered by his devotion. N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N 2. Devotion is commitment to a particular activity. ...devotion to the cause of the people and to socialism... = dedication N-UNCOUNT: oft N to n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Consecration, dedication. 2. Piety, religion, devoutness, religiousness, devotedness, holiness, sanctity, saintliness, godliness. 3. [Usually in pl.] Worship, adoration, prayer, devoutness. 4. Attachment, affection, love. 5. Ardor, earnestness, eagerness, zeal devotedness.

Moby Thesaurus

Amor, Christian love, Eros, Platonic love, abandon, adherence, adhesion, admiration, adoration, affection, agape, allegiance, altruism, ardency, ardor, assigned task, attachment, beatification, beatitude, blessedness, blessing, bodily love, bona fides, bond, bonne foi, bounden duty, brotherly love, burden, business, call of duty, canonization, caritas, charge, charity, churchgoing, co-worship, commitment, committedness, conformity, conjugal love, consecration, constancy, cult, cultism, cultus, decidedness, decision, decisiveness, dedication, deference, definiteness, desire, determinateness, determination, determinedness, devoir, devotedness, devoutness, disinterest, disinterestedness, dulia, duties and responsibilities, dutifulness, duty, eagerness, earnestness, enshrinement, enthusiasm, ethics, exaltation, faith, faithful love, faithfulness, fanaticism, fancy, fastness, fealty, fervency, fervidness, fervor, fidelity, fire, firmness, flame, fondness, free love, free-lovism, glorification, godliness, good faith, grace, hallowing, heart, heartiness, heat, heatedness, hero worship, holiness, homage, humility, hyperdulia, idolatry, idolism, idolization, impassionedness, imperative, infatuation, intensity, intentness, justification, justification by works, lasciviousness, latria, libido, like, liking, line of duty, love, love of God, lovemaking, loyalty, married love, mission, modesty, must, obligation, observance, obstinacy, onus, ordainment, ordination, ought, passion, passionateness, perseverance, persistence, physical love, pietism, piety, piousness, place, popular regard, popularity, prayer, prostration, purification, purpose, purposefulness, readiness, regard, relentlessness, religion, religionism, religiosity, religiousness, resoluteness, resolution, resolve, resolvedness, respect, reverence, ritual, sacrifice, sainthood, sainting, sanctification, sanctity, self-abasement, self-abnegation, self-denial, self-devotion, self-effacement, self-forgetfulness, self-immolation, self-imposed duty, self-neglect, self-neglectfulness, self-renouncement, self-sacrifice, self-subjection, self-will, selflessness, sentiment, seriousness, setting apart, sex, sexual love, shine, sincerity, single-mindedness, spirit, spiritual love, spirituality, state of grace, staunchness, steadfastness, tenacity, tender feeling, tender passion, theism, tie, total commitment, transcendent wonder, tried-and-trueness, triedness, troth, true blue, truelove, trueness, unacquisitiveness, unpossessiveness, unselfishness, uxoriousness, vehemence, veneration, warmth, weakness, will, willingness, worship, worshipfulness, worshiping, yearning, zeal