/ ˈedɪfaɪ; NAmE / verb
( edi·fies , edify·ing , edi·fied , edi·fied ) [ v , vn ] ( formal ) to improve people's minds or characters by teaching them about sth
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French edifier , from Latin aedificare build, from aedis dwelling + facere make (compare with edifice ). The word originally meant construct a building , also strengthen , hence to “build up” morally.