What does duty mean?
Duty is a noun describing something a person is morally or legally required to do, whether arising from conscience, law, employment, or social role. It covers both abstract obligations — such as a parent's duty to care for a child — and concrete tasks attached to a position, like the duties of a security guard on night shift. In commerce, 'duty' has a distinct meaning: a tax levied by a government on imported or exported goods, familiar from phrases like 'customs duty' or 'duty-free'. The word carries a formal, serious register and connotes commitment, integrity, and self-sacrifice rather than casual preference; fulfilling a duty is generally seen as honourable even when inconvenient. Common collocations include 'sense of duty', 'above and beyond the call of duty', and being 'on' or 'off duty'. Derived forms such as 'dutiful' describe someone who conscientiously performs their obligations. Because it spans ethics, law, work, and trade, 'duty' is a versatile word worth understanding precisely.
A moral or legal obligation to act in a specified way, or a task required by one's occupation or role.
"Jury service is both a civic right and a civic duty."
A government tax on imported or exported goods; customs duty.
"The company paid a substantial excise duty on its shipments."
Usually appears in fixed phrases such as 'customs duty', 'excise duty', or 'import duty'; typically used in the singular in these constructions.
Standard plural; used when referring to multiple obligations, tasks, or types of tax.
"Her duties include answering correspondence and managing the archive."
The word 'duty' comes from the same root as 'due' — it literally means 'what is owed,' making every duty you perform an act of settling a debt.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of duty
Duty derives from the Anglo-Norman 'dueté', from Old French 'deu' meaning 'owed', ultimately from Latin 'debere' ('to owe'), the same root that gives English 'due', 'debt', and 'debit'. It entered Middle English around the late thirteenth to fourteenth century, initially meaning what was owed or proper to someone. Its use for customs taxes developed later through the notion of money owed to the Crown.
Related word forms
How duty is actually used
'Duty' carries formal and moral connotations; it is common in legal, professional, and ethical contexts. The plural 'duties' is standard for multiple obligations or tasks, and 'customs duty' is the fixed phrase for import/export taxes.
Easily confused with duty
While 'tariff' is also a tax on imports or exports, 'duty' in this sense refers more broadly to any customs levy; 'tariff' specifically denotes the schedule or rate structure.
'Responsibility' is broader and often implies accountability for outcomes, whereas 'duty' implies a specific obligation that must be discharged.