Hypertext Webster Gateway: "edifying"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Edify \Ed"i*fy\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Edified}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Edifying}.] [F. ['e]difier, L. aedificare; aedes a building,
house, orig., a fireplace (akin to Gr. ? to burn, Skr. idh to
kindle, OHG. eit funeral pile, AS. [=a]d, OIr. aed fire) +
facere to make. See {Fact}, {-fy}.]
1. To build; to construct. [Archaic]
There was a holy chapel edified. --Spenser.
2. To instruct and improve, especially in moral and religious
knowledge; to teach.
It does not appear probable that our dispute [about
miracles] would either edify or enlighten the
public. --Gibbon.
3. To teach or persuade. [Obs.] --Bacon.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Edifying \Ed"i*fy`ing\, a.
Instructing; improving; as, an edifying conversation. --
{Ed"i*fy`ing*ly}, adv. -- {Ed"i*fy`ing*ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
edifying
adj : enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or
moral improvement; "the paintings in the church served
an edifying purpose even for those who could not read"
[syn: {enlightening}] [ant: {unedifying}]
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