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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.
Examples of edify in a Sentence
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Stewart’s routine was both uninspired and unholy — an act that failed to edify any audience.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 July 2025
Or think how far entertainment has gotten from the art that used to comprise it?
Board games like Trivial Pursuit were a long way down the road from the more edifying entertainment of say the Renaissance.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Park districts should be overwhelmed with opportunities for young people, whether meaningful and edifying summer jobs or recreational activities that foster community and belonging.
—Otis Moss Iii, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for edify
Cite this Entry
“Edify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edify. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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edify
verb
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