devotion
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 22, 2021 is:
devotion \dih-VOH-shun\ noun
Devotion means being dedicated or loyal, or expressing dedication or loyalty.
// The organizer's devotion to the cause of the fundraiser was greatly admired.
// The students' devotion of their time to the science project was not overlooked by their teacher.
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Examples:
"Restaurant loyalties run deep. Look at the scads of eateries that have drawn devotion for decades in the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and environs." — Kathy Biehl, The Preston Hollow People (Dallas, Texas), 14 Sept. 2021
Did you know?
Devotion and the verb devote come from the act of taking a vow (the Latin verb vovēre means "to vow"). Devote was once used as an adjective that could mean either "devout" or "devoted." While devout implies faithfulness of a religious nature ("a devout parishioner), devoted refers to one's commitment to another through love and loyalty ("a singer's devoted fans").
