different between edify vs edifice

English

Alternative forms

• ædify (archaic)

Etymology

From Old French edifier (“to build, to edify”), from Latin aedificare (“build”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??d?fa?/

Verb

edify (third-person singular simple present edifies, present participle edifying, simple past and past participle edified)

1. (now rare) To build, construct.
2. (transitive) To instruct or improve morally or intellectually.
   • January 23, 1783, Edward Gibbon, letter to Dr. Priestley

     It does not appear probable that our dispute [about miracles] would either edify or enlighten the public.

   • 1813, The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, Vol. VI, page 455

     That they ought to edify one another by maintaining and promoting the knowledge of truth.

   • 1641, Francis Bacon, A Wise and Moderate Discourse, Concerning Church-Affaires

     frustrate the best endeavours in the edifying of the church

Related terms

• edification
• edificator
• edifice
• edifier
• edifying

Translations

Anagrams

• deify

English

Alternative forms

• ædifice (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English edifice, from Old French edifice, a classical borrowing of Latin aedificium (“building”), derived from aedific?re (“to build, establish”) (whence also English edify).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /??d.?.f?s/

Noun

edifice (plural edifices)

1. A building; a structure; an architectural fabric, especially a large and spectacular one
2. An abstract structure; a school of thought.

Related terms

Translations

References

• edifice in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• edifice in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.