duty

Where does the word "duty" come from? It comes from Latin debere, passing through Anglo-French before entering English (1300s).

Duty’s story begins in Latin: debere meant “to owe.” To owe, giving rise to Old French deu (owed, due). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Anglo-French as deu. Owed, expected, the root behind an obligation one owes to another. It reached English by 1300s as duty. Formed from due with the English suffix -ty, for a moral or legal obligation. Today, duty means a moral or legal obligation, or a task one is required to perform.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient debere "to owe", to owe, giving rise to Old French deu (owed, due).
2. Stage 2 · Anglo-French · medieval deu "owed, expected", owed, expected, the root behind an obligation one owes to another.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s duty "a moral or legal obligation", formed from due with the English suffix -ty, for a moral or legal obligation.