Standard Lemma guide

edify

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɛdɪfaɪ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: EH1 D AH0 F AY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To build, construct.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To instruct or improve morally or intellectually.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • January 23, 1783, Edward Gibbon, letter to Dr. Priestley It does not appear probable that our dispute [about miracles] would either edify or enlighten the public.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make understand

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Can you enlighten me--I don't understand this proposal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: enlighten

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: teach, learn, instruct

History

Etymology

From Old French edifier (“to build, to edify”), from Latin aedificare (“build”).

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: поучавам (poučavam) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Bulgarian: назидавам (nazidavam) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Czech: poučit — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Czech: povznášet — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Czech: povznést — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • French: édifier — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • German: bestärken — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • German: erbauen — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • German: edifizieren — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Gothic: 𐍄𐌹𐌼𐍂𐌾𐌰𐌽 (timrjan) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Hungarian: tanít — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Hungarian: oktat — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Polish: dodawać otuchy — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Polish: dodać otuchy — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Polish: podnosić na duchu — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Polish: podnieść na duchu — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Russian: назидать (nazidatʹ) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Russian: наставля́ть (nastavljátʹ) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Swedish: uppbygga — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Thai: อบรม (òp-rom) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Thai: อบรมบ่มนิสัย — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually
  • Thai: เทศนา (têet-sà-nǎa) — to instruct or improve morally or intellectually