devotes

Devotes is the third-person singular present tense of the verb devote. To devote something to a task means to dedicate time, effort, or resources to it, often with a sense of sustained commitment. The form devotes oneself to something uses a reflexive pronoun to emphasize personal dedication, as in "She devotes herself to her research."

Origin and related terms: The verb devote comes from Latin devotare, through Old French devoter, and is related to devotion. Common related words include devotion (the state of being devoted) and devotee (a person who is devoted). Synonyms such as dedicate or commit convey similar meaning but with subtle differences in emphasis; devote often implies the allocation of limited resources or intense focus.

Usage patterns and examples: Devote is a transitive verb, typically followed by time, effort, money, or resources, and then to or toward a task or goal: "The foundation devotes most of its funds to education," "Researchers devote hours to data analysis," "She devotes herself to her family." It is commonly used in formal and informal contexts, including discussions of work, philanthropy, and personal commitments.