English Meaning & Definitions
A moral or legal obligation; a responsibility.
- “It is every citizen's duty to vote in elections.”
- “She felt a strong sense of duty toward her aging parents.”
A tax levied on imports or on particular goods and services.
- “The government increased the customs duty on imported electronics.”
- “They had to pay duty on the souvenirs they brought back from abroad.”
A task or action that someone is required to perform as part of their job.
- “His daily duties include checking inventory and managing staff.”
- “She reported for duty early Monday morning.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “duty”.
Derived from Middle English 'dute', from Anglo-Norman 'detee', from Old French 'deu' (past participle of 'devoir', meaning 'to owe'), based on Latin 'debere'. It originally referred to that which is owed or due, evolving into moral or legal obligation.
Think of 'duty' as doing what is 'due' to others.
Frequently Asked Questions About “duty”
1. What is the meaning of “duty” in English?
In English, duty (noun) is defined as: “A moral or legal obligation; a responsibility.”.
2. How do you use “duty” in a sentence?
“It is every citizen's duty to vote in elections.”
3. What are English synonyms of “duty”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “duty”?
Derived from Middle English 'dute', from Anglo-Norman 'detee', from Old French 'deu' (past participle of 'devoir', meaning 'to owe'), based on Latin 'debere'. It originally referred to that which is owed or due, evolving into moral or legal obligation.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.