fiduciary

American  

[fi-doo-shee-er-ee, -dyoo-] / fɪˈdu ʃiˌɛr i, -ˈdyu- /

noun

fiduciaries plural

1. Law. a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another.

   All investment advisors registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must act as fiduciaries.

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adjective

1. Law. of or relating to the relationship of trust and good faith between a fiduciary and the person for whom the fiduciary acts.

   The executor of a will has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the beneficiary.

   The banks do not assume any financial responsibility—they act in a fiduciary capacity only.

   The American Medical Association said that physicians have a fiduciary responsibility to patients.

2. depending on public confidence for value or currency, as fiat money.

fiduciary British  

/ fɪˈduːʃɪərɪ /

noun

1. a person bound to act for another's benefit, as a trustee in relation to his beneficiary

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adjective

1. 1. having the nature of a trust

   2. of or relating to a trust or trustee

Other Word Forms

• fiduciarily
  adverb
• nonfiduciary
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fiduciary

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin fīdūciārius “holding on trust; a trustee,” equivalent to fīdūci(a) “trust” + -ārius -ary

Explanation

A fiduciary is a person who holds assets in trust for someone else. That person has a fiduciary duty to take care of the money. Fiduciary comes from the Latin word fidere, "to trust." That's because a fiduciary is the person you trust to hold and watch over your assets until it's time for them to go to another designated person. For example, when a child's parents die, someone is chosen to look after the money left in the will until the child is old enough to manage it himself. Fiduciary can either be a noun to refer to the caretaker or an adjective to describe the trust.

Example Sentences

Fiduciary duty requires investment managers and advisers to exercise loyalty and care to ensure that investment objectives, whether financial or nonfinancial, are fulfilled.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Subscriptions can easily creep into our budgets, and those small, recurring charges add up over time, said Daniel E. Milks, a CFP® with the financial planning firm Fiduciary Organization.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2025

For Hans Olsen, chief investment officer at Fiduciary Trust Co, that’s an ominous sign.

From Reuters • Jun. 8, 2023

Match shareholder Friends Fiduciary Corp told Reuters that the company's continued presence in Russia was "not a good look".

From BBC • May 2, 2023

"Fiduciary relation?" the Honourable Bob retorted, in perplexity.

From Chippinge Borough by Weyman, Stanley J.