n.
Pronunciation: ˌ de-di- ' k ā -sh ə n
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1 : an act or rite of dedicating to a divine being or to a sacred use
2 : a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose
3 : a name and often a message prefixed to a literary, musical, or artistic production in tribute to a person or cause
4 : self-sacrificing devotion <her dedication to the cause>
5 : a ceremony to mark the official completion or opening of something (as a building)
– ded · i · ca · to · ry \ ' de-di-k ə - ˌ to ̇ r- ē \ adjective