- to prepare (text) for publication by checking and improving its accuracy, clarity, etc
- to be in charge of (a publication, esp a periodical)
- to prepare (a film, tape, etc) by rearrangement, selection, or rejection of previously filmed or taped material
- (transitive) to modify (a computer file) by, for example, deleting, inserting, moving, or copying text
- (often followed by out) to remove (incorrect or unwanted matter), as from a manuscript or film
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ed•it /ˈɛdɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
n. [countable]
edit., an abbreviation of:
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to supervise or direct the preparation of (a publication):Who edits the school newspaper?
- to collect, prepare, and arrange (materials) for publication:She edited the president's speeches.
- Sound Reproduction, Radio and Television, Show Businessto prepare (film, tape, etc.) by deleting, arranging, and changing material:He spent a week editing the film for television.
- Computingto change or modify (computer data or text):I edited the document on screen.
n. [countable]
- Sound Reproduction, Radio and Televisionan instance or the process of editing, as of correcting something:a few minor edits.
edit., an abbreviation of:
- edited.
- edition.
- editor.
ed•it
(ed′it),USA pronunciation v.t.
n.
edit.,
- to supervise or direct the preparation of (a newspaper, magazine, book, etc.);
serve as editor of;
direct the editorial policies of. - to collect, prepare, and arrange (materials) for publication.
- to revise or correct, as a manuscript.
- to expunge;
eliminate (often fol. by out):The author has edited out all references to his own family. - to add (usually fol. by in).
- Sound Reproduction, Radio and Television, Show Businessto prepare (motion-picture film, video or magnetic tape) by deleting, arranging, and splicing, by synchronizing the sound record with the film, etc.
- Geneticsto alter the arrangement of (genes).
- Computingto modify or add to (data or text).
n.
- Sound Reproduction, Radio and Televisionan instance of or the work of editing:automated machinery that allows a rapid edit of incoming news.
- Latin ēditus published (past participle of ēdere to give out), equivalent. to ē- e- + -ditus combining form of datus given; compare datum
- French éditer
- 1785–95; 1915–20 for def. 6; partly back formation from editor, partly
edit.,
- edited.
- edition.
- editor.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
edit /ˈɛdɪt/ vb (transitive)
'edit' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
advertorial
- back formation
- cut
- redact
- subedit
- wiki
- word processing
- angle
- coedit
- copyedit
- edition
- editor
- editress
- edit trace
- emend
- inedited
- intelligent
- mix
- slant