duteous

American  

[doo-tee-uhs, dyoo-] / ˈdu ti əs, ˈdyu- /

adjective

1. dutiful; obedient.

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duteous British  

/ ˈdjuːtɪəs /

adjective

1. formal dutiful; obedient

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Other Word Forms

• duteously adverb
• duteousness noun
• unduteous adjective
• unduteously adverb
• unduteousness noun

Etymology

Origin of duteous

First recorded in 1585–95; duty + -ous

Explanation

To be duteous is to be conscious of your duties and diligent in performing them. A duteous employee gets to work on time, meets every deadline, and never gossips about the boss. A duty is a responsibility or obligation, so to be duteous is to be mindful of one’s duties. A doctor who makes a home visit is duteous. A waiter who is quick and accurate is duteous. Being duteous suggests diligence and respect for the task at hand. In some professions — like being a butler — the whole job is based on being duteous, but you can be duteous in any task you take seriously.

Example Sentences

Exception 3.—Final y is sometimes changed into e: as, duty + ous = duteous; beauty + ous = beauteous.

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

She burst out into a fit of laughter at my duteous principles.

From The Sylph, Volume I and II by Cavendish, Georgiana

The heroines in Rob Roy and The Black Dwarf are duteous and devoted daughters, the one of an unfortunate, the other of an unworthy parent.

From Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Volume 6 by Lockhart, J. G. (John Gibson)

Not all new members suffer alike, of course, under this trying discipline; because it is not every new member that comes to his seat with serious purposes of honest, earnest, and duteous work.

From Congressional Government A Study in American Politics by Wilson, Woodrow

Katharine maintained a duteous silence; the Lady Mary stood with her hands clasped before her.

From The Fifth Queen And How She Came to Court by Ford, Ford Madox