devotion

noun

de·​vo·​tion di-ˈvō-shən 

dē-

1

a

: religious fervor : piety

b

: an act of prayer or private worship

—usually used in plural

during his morning devotions

c

: a religious exercise or practice other than the regular corporate (see corporate sense 2) worship of a congregation

2

a

: the act of dedicating something to a cause, enterprise, or activity : the act of devoting

the devotion of a great deal 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

Did you know?

Devotion Has Latin Roots

Devotion and the verb devote come from the act of taking a vow (the Latin verb vovēre means "to vow"). Devote was once used as an adjective that could mean either "devout" or "devoted." While devout implies faithfulness of a religious nature ("a devout parishioner), devoted refers to one's commitment to another through love and loyalty ("a singer's devoted fans").

Synonyms

• affection
• attachment
• devotedness
• fondness
• love
• passion

Choose the Right Synonym for devotion

fidelity, allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety mean faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty.

fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

Examples of devotion in a Sentence

She has cared for the poor with selfless devotion.

The devotion they felt for each other was obvious.

The project will require the devotion of a great deal of time and money.

They spend an hour each morning at their devotions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite being private about his love life, The Philadelphia Story actor was vocal about his devotion to his child. —Julie Tremaine, Peoplemag, 21 Apr. 2024

David Pierce, the station’s chief media officer, praised Mandisa for her devotion to Jesus and God. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024

Instead, many residents have preserved bhang as a core part of their cuisine, all in the name of devotion. —Arbab Ali & Nadeem Sarwar, Saveur, 18 Apr. 2024

Even when religion is less explicitly invoked, Borzage’s films are marked by a sense of spiritual devotion, in which romantic desire isn’t a contradiction of the spiritual but an incarnation of it—not least because, for Borzage, lust and consummation are inseparable from sacrifice and torment. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2024

One to always take a look to the extreme, Rih demands the highest level of devotion to fashion. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2024

His insistence on absolute devotion and fealty can be seen at every level of the party, from Congress to the Republican National Committee to rank-and-file voters. —Michael C. Bender, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

But the devotion of their fans inspired Belew and guitarist/producer Scrote to dream up the Beat tour as a way to honor the group’s Eighties work. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024

Many churches continue holding Stations of the Cross devotions on Good Friday. —Jason Rossi, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see devote

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

devotion

noun

de·​vo·​tion di-ˈvō-shən 

1

a

: strong religious feeling

b

: a religious exercise or practice other than the regular worship of a congregation

2

a

: the act of devoting or the quality of being devoted

b

: strong love, affection, or dedication

devotional

-shnəl

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

devotionally

-ē

adverb