Definitions
Wiktionary
- adj. That educates, informs, illuminates or instructs.
- adj. That enlightens or uplifts.
- v. present participle of edify.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Instructing; improving.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement
Examples
“As I have often noted of recent, the project of giving consideration to why certain manifestations of the sacred arts and architecture are particular edifying is an important exercise, especially for those of you in a position to commission these things, or who might be in the future.”
A Look at the Architectural Work of Ethan Anthony and HDB/Cram and Ferguson
“They are very nice examples of the gothic form, employing noble materials, good colour and detailing, and in edifying proportions.”
Solemn Mass at Ss. Gregory and Augustine Oratory, St. Louis Abbey
“There are however circumstances, I argue, where the use of invective and insult, if not edifying, is at least justifiable.”
“Godly edifying is the end ministers should aim at in all their discourses, that Christians may be improving in godliness and growing up to a greater likeness to the blessed God.”
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation)
“I agree with Frank on this. one can hardly call the edifying aspects of reading a by-product.”
“Most collections of lives of the saints, particularly those in modern languages, are inspired by the idea of edifying and interesting the reader, and without any great solicitude for historical truth.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 7: Gregory XII-Infallability
“That the story is what may be called edifying can hardly be claimed, but the world has long since ceased to expect -- perhaps even to desire -- that opera should inculcate a lofty moral code.”
“In the beginning of his work against heresies, he says, “Whereas some having rejected the truth, bringing in lying words, and ‘vain genealogies, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith,’ 1 Tim.i. 4, as saith the apostle.””
“The Portuguese monarch praises in round terms the edifying zeal of the primate, but wisely confined himself to his own crusades in India, which were likely to make better returns, at least in this world, than those to Palestine.”
The History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic — Volume 3
“Inasmuch [2655] as certain men have set the truth aside, and bring in lying words and vain genealogies, which, as the apostle says, [2656] "minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith," and by means of their craftily-constructed plausibilities draw away the minds of the inexperienced and take them captive, [I have felt constrained, my dear friend, to compose the following treatise in order to expose and counteract their machinations.]”
ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘edifying’.
-
501
Classic
aberration, abstruse, anomaly, assiduous, august, banal, boisterous, dulcet, epitome, impudent, insolent, mellifluous and 401 more...
-
Interesting words
A list of words that are odd or words that I have looked up.
concupiscence, brize, scree, scoria, forestaff, spanaemia, valetudinarianism, distasture, pyrethrum, laudanum, gentian, bicameral and 11250 more...
-
501
Classic
aberration, abstruse, anomaly, assiduous, august, banal, boisterous, dulcet, epitome, impudent, insolent, mellifluous and 401 more...
-
501
Classic
aberration, abstruse, anomaly, assiduous, august, banal, boisterous, dulcet, epitome, impudent, insolent, mellifluous and 401 more...
-
501
Classic
aberration, abstruse, anomaly, assiduous, august, banal, boisterous, dulcet, epitome, impudent, insolent, mellifluous and 401 more...
-
Used
halcyon, ineluctable, inspissated, incarnadine, askance, demur, saltation, requisite, effusive, specious, liminality, indomitable and 114 more...
-
Words build meanings from origins( et...
These come from gamma meditation ,I think.
discursive, exogenous, machinations, purportedly, sumptuous, congruity, cantankerous, incongruous, festoon, hessian, ratiocinative, stratigraphic and 2057 more...
-
New Yorker
burgeoning, piquancy, telegenic, edifying, dismay, deference, baying
-
SAT 2
platitude, parsimonious, perspicacious, catharsis, captious, munificent, penurious, arid, portentous, ossified, nascent, perfidy and 13 more...
-
xulilux's list
leviathan, destitute, iapetus, caesura, ineffable, eschew, phosphene, fungible, antediluvian, nomenclature, mottle, europa and 84 more...
-
GRE Reference
A list of words unfamiliar to me that I have repeatedly encountered in GRE question sets.
parochial, clique, salacious, aegis, ostracize, conceited, sacrilegious, inane, serendipity, gourmand, polemic, tenuous and 138 more...
-
All The Words
I enjoy collecting words, for I have no fear of them ever running out.
anacoluthon, defenestration, hypnopomp, hypnagogue, idioglossia, panopticon, tatterdemalion, abalone, caltrop, miasma, paroxysm, smalt and 491 more...
-
jaradgiese's Words
paronomasia, ostensible, insouciant, sobriquet, burlesque, insalubrious, apotheosis, hyperbole, connubial, felicity, florid, conurbation and 642 more...
-
MiaLuthien's list ♥
gambit, prehensile, coquetry, impunity, genuflect, ensconce, clavicle, delude, beget, castigate, life caching, convoluted and 478 more...
-
newGRE
mostly from magoosh
imbue, verge on, nonchalant, deliberate, timorous, futile, provisional, dissect, checked, tinged, alluring, visionary and 1046 more...
-
1st cut
abeyance, abscission, abyss, accretion, acidulous, adulterate, adumbrate, aerie, ameliorate, anachoronistic, analgesia, anodyne and 315 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for edifying.

GHibbs My adjectival use: 'You need to read edifying books.' Aug 22, 2011