dedicatory

American

[ded-i-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ˈdɛd ɪ kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

Also dedicative

adjective

of or relating to dedication; serving as a dedication.

Other Word Forms

dedicatorily adverb
nondedicative adjective
nondedicatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of dedicatory

First recorded in 1555–65; dedicate + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Simon Wiesenthal came here in 1977 for a dedicatory ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2022

But as is typical with Kurtag’s dedicatory works, he’s able to tip his hat to another composer while sounding like himself.

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2022

One of St. Petersburg’s more flamboyant journalists, Alexander Nekrasov, showed a photo on Instagram of a copy of one of Sokolov’s books, on which the historian had written, “With the dedicatory inscription of a maniac.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 10, 2019

The volume is constructed identically to her first, with a dedicatory epistle followed by the translations and an original poem, “The necessitie and benefite of affliction.”

From The New Yorker • Aug. 5, 2019

The poems published in 1881 are preceded by some dedicatory verses addressed to his wife which are characterised by great daintiness and simplicity, instinct with tender affection and chivalrous homage.

From Oscar Wilde by Ingleby, Leonard Cresswell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023