abdicated

Abdicated is the past tense and past participle of abdicate, the act of renouncing a throne, office, or responsibility. In general usage, abdication is voluntary and ends the holder's claim to authority and any official duties tied to the position.

Etymology: from Latin abdicare, meaning to renounce or abandon, from ab- "away" plus dicare "to devote or declare." The term is most often applied to monarchy, but can also refer to resignation from other high offices, though not all resignations are called abdications.

In constitutional settings, abdication is typically formalized through a declaration or instrument and may be immediate or scheduled. Its legal effects depend on the jurisdiction, influencing succession, eligibility, and the official's future status. Some systems preserve certain privileges for the former office-holder, while others strip them.

Notable instances include Edward VIII of the United Kingdom (1936), Nicholas II of Russia (1917), Christina of Sweden (1654), Akihito of Japan (2019), and Juan Carlos I of Spain (2014). In the Catholic Church, the term is sometimes used colloquially for papal resignation, though canonical language is resignation; abdication is less common in ecclesiastical law.