Dutiful

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked by a firm commitment to responsibilities and a willingness to comply with authority, often signifying loyalty and adherence to moral principles
2. Embodying a strong sense of obligation and fidelity towards duties, typically associated with reliability and trustworthy behavior
3. Consistently acting with a sense of responsibility and respect towards assigned tasks or obligations

Etymology: "Dutiful" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it is "duty" with the suffix "-ful", which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "full of" or "characterized by" the thing named. A dutiful person is, quite literally, full of duty. The more interesting part is the noun underneath. "Duty" is itself a word that has drifted a long way from its roots. It developed from "due", the thing owed to someone, and came to mean the obligations a person is bound to fulfil. "Dutiful" follows the same arc, moving from the idea of what is owed to a settled disposition of loyal, obedient conduct.

Synonyms: obedient, conscientious

Antonyms: disobedient