# devote

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈvəʊt/ · frequency rank #14,311

## Definitions
1. to give one's time, focus one's efforts, commit oneself, etc. entirely for, on, or to a certain matter; to consecrate.
2. to consign over; to doom
3. to execrate; to curse

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dēvōtus, past participle of Latin dēvoveō (“dedicate by a vow, sacrifice oneself, promise solemnly”). Doublet of devow; see also devout. Displaced native Middle English ēstful, from Old English ēstful.

## Easily confused with
- **devout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devote-vs-devout)
- **devour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devote-vs-devour)
- **devoted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devote-vs-devoted)
- **devotee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devote-vs-devotee)
- **devo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devo-vs-devote)
- **depot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/depot-vs-devote)
- **Devon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devon-vs-devote)
- **Devos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devos-vs-devote)
- **device** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/device-vs-devote)
- **debate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/debate-vs-devote)
- **delete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/delete-vs-devote)
- **devoid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devoid-vs-devote)
- **denote** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/denote-vs-devote)
- **devise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devise-vs-devote)
- **Devine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devine-vs-devote)
- **decode** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decode-vs-devote)
- **DevOps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devops-vs-devote)
- **depose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/depose-vs-devote)
- **Devito** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devito-vs-devote)
- **denotes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/denotes-vs-devote)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ddevote`, `deovte`, `devoet`, `devotte`, `devtoe`, `devvote`, `dveote`, `edvote`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/devote