different between empower vs edify

English

Alternative forms

• empowre (archaic)
• impower (archaic)
• impowre (obsolete)

Etymology

em- +? power

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a??(?)

• Rhymes: -a??(?)

Verb

empower (third-person singular simple present empowers, present participle empowering, simple past and past participle empowered)

1. (transitive) To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.
2. (transitive) To give someone more confidence and/or strength to do something, often by enabling them to increase their control over their own life or situation.

   John found that starting up his own business empowered him greatly in social situations.

Synonyms

• (give permission to): allow, let, permit
• (give confidence to): inspire

Antonyms

• (give permission to): ban, bar, forbid, prohibit
• (give confidence to): disempower, dishearten, disspirit

Derived terms

• empowerment

Translations

Anagrams

• empowre

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