Definition

Adjective: 1. Willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect: Describes a person who is consistently obedient and attentive to their obligations, not out of fear or compulsion, but from a strong internal sense of what is right and proper. This obedience is often directed towards authority figures, moral principles, or social roles.

Usage and Examples

The word duteous is a formal and somewhat literary term. It is used to describe a person's character or their actions, emphasizing a conscientious and respectful fulfillment of duty. * She was a duteous daughter, caring for her parents without complaint. * The soldier's duteous service earned him great respect from his commanders. * In his role as assistant, he was unfailingly duteous.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Contextual Connotation: While positive, duteous can sometimes carry a slight nuance of being overly obedient or submissive, especially in modern contexts that value individual autonomy. It often implies a hierarchy where one party has a clear duty to another (e.g., child to parent, citizen to state, wife to husband in historical contexts).
• Literary and Historical Use: The word is more commonly found in classic literature, historical texts, or formal descriptions than in everyday conversation. The provided example, "Patient Griselda was a chaste and duteous wife," is a classic literary reference illustrating extreme, virtuous obedience.

Variants and Related Words

• Dutiful (Adjective): This is the much more common synonym for duteous. The meanings are virtually identical, though dutiful is used in a wider range of contexts, from everyday language to formal writing.
• Duty (Noun): A moral or legal obligation; a task or action one is required to perform.
• Conscientious (Adjective): Wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly. This shares the sense of careful attention to obligation but is broader, not specifically tied to obedience to an external authority.
• Deferential (Adjective): Showing humility and respect. This relates to the respectful aspect of being duteous.

Synonyms

• Dutiful
• Obedient
• Compliant
• Respectful
• Submissive (can be a synonym but often has a more negative connotation of yielding to control)

Antonyms

• Disobedient
• Rebellious
• Negligent
• Derelict (in duty)
• Insubordinate

Idioms and Phrases

• To do one's duty: This common phrase captures the core action of a duteous person. A duteous individual is one who consistently and willingly does their duty.
  • He believed in doing his duty to his family and his country.

Adjective

1. willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect;
   • a dutiful child
   • a dutiful citizen
   • Patient Griselda was a chaste and duteous wife