beatify

[ bee-at-uh-fahy ]

verb (used with object)

, be·at·i·fied, be·at·i·fy·ing.

1. to make blissfully happy.
2. Roman Catholic Church. to declare (a deceased person) to be among the blessed and therefore entitled to local but not universal veneration. Compare canonize ( def 1 ).

beatify

/ bɪˌætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən; bɪˈætɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. tr RC Church (of the pope) to declare formally that (a deceased person) showed a heroic degree of holiness in his or her life and therefore is worthy of public veneration: the first step towards canonization
2. tr to make extremely happy

Derived Forms

• beatification, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of beatify¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French beatifier, from Late Latin beātificāre; beatific ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of beatify¹

C16: from Old French beatifier , from Late Latin beātificāre to make blessed; see beatific

Example Sentences

The service to beatify Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma and their seven children will be held on Sunday in the Polish town of Markowa where they died in March 1944.

From Reuters

On Sunday, Pope Francis will beatify John Paul I, the last formal step before possible sainthood.

From Seattle Times

During the decades-long wait for the Vatican to beatify the doctor, many Venezuelans were lighting candles in his name and placing images of him on their personal altars.

From New York Times

On the final day of his four-day visit to Britain, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman, the 19th century Anglican convert.

From Washington Times

Francis traveled to the central city of Blaj to beatify seven Communist-era bishops of the Eastern Rite Catholic Church who died in prison or as a result of their harsh treatment.

From Reuters

Related Words

• consecrate
• sanctify