abdicate

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
13
Words With Friends
15
Letters
8
Pronunciation
/ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/

Definition of abdicate

6 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. (obsolete, transitive)To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
See all 6 definitions

verb

  1. (obsolete, transitive)To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
  2. (obsolete, reflexive, transitive)To formally separate oneself from or to divest oneself of.
  3. (obsolete, transitive)To depose.
  4. (obsolete, transitive)To reject; to cast off; to discard.
    “[W]e were legally call'd by his Majeſties writ to give our Attendance in Parliament, […] if we did not, we ſhould betray the Truſt committed to us by his Majeſtie, and ſhamefully betray and abdicate the due right both of our ſelves and Succeſſours.”
  5. (transitive)To surrender, renounce or relinquish, as sovereign power; to withdraw definitely from filling or exercising, as a high office, station, dignity; to fail to fulfill responsibility for.
    “to abdicate the throne, the crown, the papacy”
    “Note: The word abdicate was held to mean, in the case of James II, to abandon without a formal surrender.”
    “The cross-bearers abdicated their service.”
    “He abdicates all right to be his own governor.”
    “The understanding abdicates its functions.”
  6. (intransitive)To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity; to renounce sovereignty.
    “Though a king may abdicate for his own person, he cannot abdicate for the monarchy.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

First attested in 1532; borrowed from Latin abdicātus (“renounced”), perfect passive participle of abdicō (“to renounce, reject, disclaim”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab (“away”) + dicō (“proclaim, dedicate, declare”), akin to dīcō (“to say”). Compare Middle English abdicat (“forsaken, renounced”).

Hooks

2 extensions · 2 back

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