abdicate
/ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.66 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
Obsolete; Transitive verb
verb
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.
Transitive verb
verb
To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity; to renounce sovereignty.
Intransitive verb
Example Sentences
- "[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."
- "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."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab- Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *déyḱs Proto-Italic *-diks Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -dicōbf. Latin dicō Latin abdicō Latin abdicātusbor. English abdicate 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”). Compare typologically abandon, Russian отказа́ться (otkazátʹsja), отре́чься (otréčʹsja).
Origin
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/