devotion
/dɪˈvəʊʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1Love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity: his devotion to duty never wavered she was the epitome of wifely devotion...
- I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle.
- Her earnest belief in devotion to duty and her command of French bring her an offer to join the intelligence service.
- Mom gave her unconditional love and devotion to each and every one of her children.
Synonyms
loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, trueness, staunchness, steadfastness, constancy, commitment, adherence, allegiance, dedication, devoutness;
fondness, love, admiration, affection, attentiveness, care, caring, warmness, closeness
1.1Religious worship or observance: the order’s aim was to live a life of devotion...
- The clear implication here is that yoga can be a form of devotion, or worship.
- He is one of the most popular objects of devotion and reverence in east Asian Buddhism.
- In some cases, these ideas evolve into a symbolically charged moment of private religious devotion.
Synonyms
devoutness, piety, religiousness, spirituality, godliness, holiness, sanctity, saintliness
1.2 (devotions) Prayers or religious observances: she went to her devotions...
- The image or icon of worship is a focus for our prayers and devotions.
- I quote an account of a compilation of ‘Celtic’ prayers and devotions, published in 1994.
- Personal devotions, meditations or prayer may refresh introverts.
Synonyms
religious worship, worship, religious observance;
prayers, vespers, matins;
prayer meeting, church service
Origin
Middle English: from Latin devotio(n-), from devovere 'consecrate' (see devote).
vote from Late Middle English:
Vote is from Latin votum ‘a vow, wish’, from vovere ‘to vow’. The verb dates from the mid 16th century. The word votive (late 16th century) meaning ‘offered in fulfilment of a vow’ is from votum as are vow (Middle English), devout (Middle English), and devotion (Middle English).
Rhymes
- the Transvaal
- the Trek
- the Trinity
- the triple jump
- the Troubles
- the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
- the Twelve
- the tyranny of distance
- the unco guid
- the Underground
- the Union
- the university of life
- the upper crust
- the Upper House
- the Urals
- theurgic
- theurgical
- theurgist
- theurgy
- the very idea!
- the very same
- the villain of the piece
- the Virgin Birth
- the Virgin Queen
- the Visitation