edify

edify
verb
ed·;i·;fy ;e-d;-;f;
edified; edifying
Synonyms of edify
transitive verb

1
: to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge : uplift
also : enlighten, inform
2
archaic
a
: build
b
: establish


Did you know?
Edify Has Latin Roots

When you edify someone, you’re helping them build character. This figurative "building" is key to understanding the history of edify. This word is an evolution of the Latin verb aedificare, originally meaning "to erect a house" and later (in Late Latin) "to instruct or improve spiritually." (The word edifice, which usually refers to a building and especially to a large or massive structure, comes from the same root.) Aedificare, in turn, is based on aedes, the Latin word for "temple." Edify shares the spiritual meaning of its Late Latin root, but it is also used in general contexts to refer to the act of instructing in a way that improves the mind or character overall.

Synonyms
educate
enlighten
illume
illuminate
illumine
inspire
nurture
Examples of edify in a Sentence
These books will both entertain and edify readers.
a family-oriented show that tried to edify the television audience as well as entertain it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Consider it everyday activism anchored in acknowledgement, self-preservation and edifying intellectual steers.
—Katie Baron, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Many of those parents have grown cynical about politicians of all stripes, but now have hope that Trump will pursue policies that edify, rather than undermine, the nuclear family.
—Chad Williams, National Review, 30 Nov. 2024
The continued relevance of these debates – particularly in regard to Russia and Ukraine today – makes these books not only edifying but also timely.
—Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2024
If handled properly, change can be a great opportunity to edify your team and give your managers the skills to become better leaders.
—Jane Sparrow, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French edifier, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin aedificare to instruct or improve spiritually, from Latin, to erect a house, from aedes temple, house; akin to Old English ;d funeral pyre, Latin aestas summer

First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of edify was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century