abdicate — ODE

abdicate /ˈabdɪkeɪt

▸ verb

1 [no object] (of a monarch) renounce one's throne:

in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor

[with object] Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favour of the emperor's brother.

2 [with object] fail to fulfil or undertake (a responsibility or duty):

she charged the board with abdicating its responsibilities

[no object] the secretary of state should not abdicate from leadership on educational issues.

– DERIVATIVES

abdicator /ˈabdɪkeɪtə

/ noun

– ORIGIN mid 16th century: from Latin abdicat- ‘renounced’, from the verb abdicare, from ab- ‘away, from’ + dicare ‘declare’.