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Definition of edify

edify

/ˈɛd.ɪ.faɪ/
ed · i · fy
Adverb:edifyingly
•
Adjective:edifying
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Past Simple:edified
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Past Participle:edified
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Present Participle:edifying
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edify Lexical Profile

edify Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To instruct or improve someone morally, intellectually, or spiritually.

Example

"The professor hoped that the classic literature course would both entertain and edify her students."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for edify

• Nearby Words

edible
edict
edifice
edify
edifying
edinburgh
edisto

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Old French edifier, from Latin aedificare ('to build or construct'), a compound of aedis ('dwelling, temple') and facere ('to make'); the sense shifted in Christian Latin from physical construction to spiritual and moral building up.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Edify. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/edify
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