Dictionary

abdicate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Canada) audio
• /ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

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).

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
2. (obsolete, reflexive, transitive) To formally separate oneself from or to divest oneself of.
3. (obsolete, transitive) To depose.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To reject; to cast off; to discard.
   • [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. 1647 June 8 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Hall, “Bishop Hall’s Hard Measure”, in The Shaking of the Olive-Tree. The Remaining Works of that Incomparable Prelate Joseph Hall, D.D. […], London: […] J. Cadwel for J[ohn] Crooke, […], published 1660, →OCLC, page 48:
5. (transitive) 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.
   • Although the 1970s ushered in a culture of relative moral freedom, the courts refused to abdicate their role of custodians of public morality. 2022, Janet Loveless, Mischa Allen, Caroline Derry, chapter 12, in Complete Criminal Law, 8th edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, 12.2.5, page 649:
   • Note: The word abdicate was held to mean, in the case of James II, to abandon without a formal surrender.
   • He abdicates all right to be his own governor. 1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:
   • The cross-bearers abdicated their service. 1776–1788, Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC:
   • to abdicate the throne, the crown, the papacy
   • The understanding abdicates its functions. 1856, James Anthony Froude, History of England from the Fall of Wolsey to the Death of Elizabeth:
6. (intransitive) To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity; to renounce sovereignty.
   • Though a king may abdicate for his own person, he cannot abdicate for the monarchy. 1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Antonyms

occupy · maintain · grasp · usurp · retain · seize · claim

Deriveds

abdicative · abdicator · abdicable · unabdicate · abdication · abdicant

Synonyms

renounce (synonyms of "abdicate") · abandon (synonyms of "abdicate") · quit (synonyms of "abdicate") · waive (synonyms of "abdicate") · relent (synonyms of "abdicate") · yield (synonyms of "abdicate") · stand down (synonyms of "abdicate") · disown (synonyms of "abdicate") · desert (synonyms of "abdicate") · abjure (synonyms of "abdicate") · reject (synonyms of "abdicate") · retire (synonyms of "abdicate") · give up (synonyms of "abdicate") · cast off (synonyms of "abdicate") · vacate (synonyms of "abdicate") · repudiate (synonyms of "abdicate") · forego (synonyms of "abdicate") · forsake (synonyms of "abdicate") · cede (synonyms of "abdicate") · cast aside (synonyms of "abdicate") · refuse (synonyms of "abdicate") · relinquish (synonyms of "abdicate") · disinherit (synonyms of "abdicate") · surrender (synonyms of "abdicate") · resign (synonyms of "abdicate")

Translations (90)

vi bỏ (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · nn fornekte (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · pt deserdar (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · oc abdicar (to renounce a throne or other high office) · de ausstoßen (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · ru отрека́ться (to renounce a throne or other high office) · sh abdicírati (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · cmn 禪讓 /禅让 (to renounce a throne or other high office) · it abdicare (to reject, cast off, discard) · mk се откажува (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · pt abdicar (to reject, cast off, discard) · de verweigern (to reject, cast off, discard) · ia abdicar (to reject, cast off, discard) · ga tabhair suas (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · sv abdikera (to renounce a throne or other high office) · ru отказа́ться (to reject, cast off, discard) · tl magdimiti (to renounce a throne or other high office) · it abdicare (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · it abdicare (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · cmn 退出 (to renounce a throne or other high office) · sv avsäga sig (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nl verstoten (to reject, cast off, discard) · de abdanken (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nb abdisere (to renounce a throne or other high office) · fr abdiquer (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nn avvise (to reject, cast off, discard) · el αποποιούμαι (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nl afstand doen van (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · fi hylätä (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · es abdicar (to renounce a throne or other high office) · cmn 退位 (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · es abdicar (to reject, cast off, discard) · cmn 辭職 /辞职 (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · nn fråseie seg (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · sv avvisa (to reject, cast off, discard) · cmn 拒絕 /拒绝 (to reject, cast off, discard) · nb frasi seg (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · cs abdikovat (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · ca abdicar (to renounce a throne or other high office) · vi từ bỏ (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · sh абдици́рати (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · fi luopua kruunusta (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · ca abdicar (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · ta வெளியேற்று (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · fi hylätä (to reject, cast off, discard) · cmn 退位 (to renounce a throne or other high office) · fi luopua (to renounce a throne or other high office) · pt abdicar (to renounce a throne or other high office) · nb abdisere (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · bg отказвам се от (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · la abdicō (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · el παραιτούμαι (to renounce a throne or other high office) · ka გადადგომა (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nl weigeren (to reject, cast off, discard) · pt abdicar (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · fi erota virasta (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · vi từ bỏ (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · cs abdikovat (to renounce a throne or other high office) · de abdanken (to renounce a throne or other high office) · es abdicar (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · bg абдикирам (to renounce a throne or other high office) · da abdicere (to renounce a throne or other high office) · tl magbitiw (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · fi erota tehtävästä (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · it abdicare (to renounce a throne or other high office) · vi từ bỏ (to reject, cast off, discard) · fr abdiquer (to renounce a throne or other high office) · ta துற (to reject, cast off, discard) · pl abdykować (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · ru отре́чься (to renounce a throne or other high office) · vi thoái vị (to renounce a throne or other high office) · cmn 禪讓 /禅让 (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nn abdisere (to renounce a throne or other high office) · ru слагать полномочия (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · mi whakataka (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · cmn 退出 (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · nl onterven (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · rgn abdichêr (to renounce a throne or other high office) · vi từ ngôi (to renounce a throne or other high office) · nb fornekte (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · sh odreći (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit) · ja 退位する (to renounce a throne or other high office) · eo eksreĝiĝi (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · sh абдици́рати (to renounce a throne or other high office) · nl afwijzen (to reject, cast off, discard) · nb avvise (to reject, cast off, discard) · ru отка́зываться (to reject, cast off, discard) · sv ge upp (to surrender or relinquish as sovereign power; to withdraw from filling or exercising) · sh abdicírati (to renounce a throne or other high office) · es abdicar (to disclaim and expel from family — see also disinherit)