Devotion
Etymology
From Latin "devotionem," from "devovere" (to vow, dedicate, consecrate by a vow), from "de-" (completely) plus "vovere" (to vow) — the same root as "vow" and "votive." The religious sense of consecration came first; devotion is, at root, a vowing of oneself, a total dedication once reserved for the sacred and later extended to people and pursuits.
noun · /di-VOH-shuhn/
Deep, dedicated commitment and love toward a person, cause, or practice.
What it names
Use it for wholehearted giving-over of oneself — the ardent, sustained attachment that organizes one’s time and energy around its object.
Example
Her devotion to the students went far past the job — nights, weekends, decades of it.
Related idea
Loyalty is standing by someone, especially under attack; devotion is a warmer, more active giving of oneself over to them. One can be loyal out of duty; devotion is rarely dutiful — it is animated by love.
noun · /di-VOH-shuhn/
Religious worship or prayer, especially private or regular.
What it names
acts of religious observance
Example
She spent the early morning at her devotions.
Related idea
The intense commitment of the main sense directed toward the sacred; compare venerate.