What does "devotion" mean?

1. (loyalty and love) great love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. 2. (religious piety) strong religious feeling or the act of showing respect to a god. 3. (religious prayers) prayers or religious services, often done privately or in a small group.

devotion

US //dɪˈvoʊʃən// UK //dɪvˈəʊʃən// de·vo·tion

1 loyalty and love (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

great love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.

profound dedication or attachment to a person, cause, or activity. Uncountable in this sense.

Example

His devotion to his family was clear to everyone who knew him.

Example

Her lifelong devotion to environmental activism earned her several prestigious international awards for conservation.
- indifference
- disloyalty
2 religious piety (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Religion

strong religious feeling or the act of showing respect to a god.

religious zeal or the state of being pious. Often uncountable when describing the internal state.

Example

The monk spent his entire life in quiet devotion and prayer.

Example

The pilgrims demonstrated their deep devotion by walking hundreds of miles to reach the sacred shrine.
- impiety
- irreverence

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3 religious prayers (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal Religion

prayers or religious services, often done privately or in a small group.

specific acts of religious worship or private prayers. Frequently used in the plural.

Example

She started every morning with her private devotions in the garden.

Example

The family gathered in the small chapel for their evening devotions before retiring for the night.
- prayers
- observances

Origin

From Old French devocion, from Latin dēvōtiō, from dēvōtum + -tio, from the supine of dēvoveō (“vow, devote”); equivalent to devote + -ion.

Word family

Noundevotion
Noundevotional