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Duteous vs Dutiful - What's the difference?

duteous | dutiful |

As adjectives the difference between duteous and dutiful

is that duteous is (archaic) obsequious; submissively obedient while dutiful is accepting of one's legal or moral obligations and willing to do them well, and without complaint.

duteous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (archaic) Obsequious; submissively obedient.
  • * 1623 , , act iv, scene 6 (First Folio ed.)
    • I know thee well. A ?eruiceable Villaine,
    As duteous to the vices of thy Mi?tris,
    As badne??e would de?ire.
  • * 1881 , The Heart of the Night , lines 10-14
    • ''O Lord, the awful Lord of will! though late,
    ''Even yet renew this soul with duteous breath:
    ''That when the peace is garnered in from strife,
    ''The work retrieved, the will regenerate,
    ''This soul may see thy face, O Lord of death!

    Related terms

    * duteously * duty

    References

    * The Oxford English Dictionary

    dutiful

    English

    Alternative forms

    * dutifull (archaic)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Accepting of one's legal or moral obligations and willing to do them well, and without complaint.
    • Ralph was a dutiful child, and took the trash out without being told.
  • Pertaining to one's duty; demonstrative of one's sense of duty.
    • The sergeant maintained a dutiful shine on his boots.