wijden

Wijden is a Dutch verb meaning to consecrate, dedicate, or devote. In religious contexts it refers to the act of making something sacred or set apart through a ceremony, such as dedicating a church, altar, or priest to a sacred purpose. In secular language it can denote devoting a person’s life or efforts to a cause or task. The noun wijding denotes the act of consecration or dedication, and the adjective gewijd means consecrated or devoted.

Etymology and related terms: Wijden originates in historical Dutch and is connected to the related noun wijding and the adjective gewijd. The core sense centers on setting something apart for sacred use, rather than implying a physical widening.

Usage and examples: The act of consecration is common in Christian liturgy. For example, De priester wijdt het altaar. (The priest consecrates the altar.) De bisschop wijdt het gebouw tijdens de mis. (The bishop consecrates the building during the mass.) Het altaar is gewijd. (The altar is consecrated.) In secular usage, mensen wijden hun leven aan een vak of doel; Zij heeft haar leven aan de geneeskunde gewijd. (She has devoted her life to medicine.)

Conjugation and forms: Wijden follows regular Dutch verb patterns; the past participle is gewijd. The present forms include wijdt in the third person singular, and wijden in the plural forms, with standard auxiliary constructions for compound tenses.

See also: wijding, gewijd, to devote oneself to a cause.