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Added 5 October 2026

abdicate

/ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/ verb

In Latin: abdicō First recorded: 1532 Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about abdicate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
To formally separate oneself from or to divest oneself of.
To depose.

Origin

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).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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