/ biˈætɪfaɪ; NAmE / verb
( be·ati·fies , be·ati·fy·ing , be·ati·fied , be·ati·fied ) [ vn ] ( of the Pope ) to give a dead person a special honour by stating officially that he/she is very holy
—compare bless , canonize
► be·ati·fi·ca·tion / biˌætɪfɪkˈeɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ C , U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense make blessed or supremely happy ): from Old French beatifier or ecclesiastical Latin beatificare , from Latin beatus blessed.