What is abdicate meaning?

To abdicate means to renounce or relinquish a throne, power, responsibility or a position of authority, especially in a formal or legal way. It is generally used in the context of a monarch, king or queen who voluntarily gives up the throne or relinquishes power due to various reasons like poor health, old age, political pressures, etc. Abdication can also refer to giving up a responsibility or a duty, such as a job, position or a role. It is derived from the Latin word abdicare, which means ‘to disown, reject, or renounce’.