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Definition of duty

duty

/ˈduː.ti/
du · ty
Adverb:dutifully
•
Plural:duties
•
Adjective:dutiful
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duty Lexical Profile

duty Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A moral or legal obligation; a responsibility to act in a certain way.

Example

"She felt it was her civic duty to vote in every local election."

2

A task or action that one is required to perform as part of one's job or official position.

Example

"The receptionist's daily duties include answering phone calls and greeting visitors."

3

A payment or tax levied by a government on the import, export, manufacture, or sale of goods.

Example

"Travelers must declare luxury items at customs and pay the required import duty."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for duty

• Nearby Words

dutiful
dutifully
dutifulness
duty
duvet
duwamish
dux

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Anglo-Norman 'duete', formed from Old French 'deu' ('due, owed'), which ultimately derives from Latin 'debitus', the past participle of 'debere' ('to owe').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Duty. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/duty
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