Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “duteous” come from?

duteous (English) comes from English duty, from Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe, from Old French deü, from Latin dēbēre, from Latin dē, from Latin post, from Latin poste — afterwards, post; by, at.

duteous (English): dutiful; Obsequious; submissively obedient

Definitions

  1. dutiful; Obsequious; submissively obedient

Ancestry of “duteous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdutyThat which one is morally or legally obligated to...
2Middle EnglishdueteA charge, fee, or tax; a monetary sum one is owed...
3Middle EnglishdeweAlternative form of dew; Alternative form of...
4Old FrenchdeüAlternative form of deu
5Latindēbēre—
6Latindē—
7Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
8Latinposteablative singular of postis
9Proto-Italicposti—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “duteous”

  • duteously
  • unduteous
  • duteousness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →