Standard Lemma guide

due

adj · adv · name · noun · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /djuː/ no yod-coalescence
  • dyo͞o no yod-coalescence
  • /dʒuː/ yod-coalescence
  • jo͞o yod-coalescence
  • /djʉw/ no yod-coalescence
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /dʒʉw/ yod-coalescence
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • do͞o yod-dropping
  • /du/ yod-dropping
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian, New-Zealand: jo͞o
  • Australian, New-Zealand: /dʒʉː/
  • Canada, traditional: /dju/
  • Canada: /dɪu̯/
  • Canada: /du/ more recent, yod-dropping
  • rhymes with -uː
  • homophone: dew
  • homophone: do
  • homophone: doo
  • homophone: doux
  • homophone: Doubs (yod-dropping)
  • homophone: Jew
  • homophone: jew (yod-coalescence)
  • CMU ARPABET: D UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: D Y UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Owed or owing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He is due four weeks of back pay.
  • The amount due is just three quid.
  • The due bills total nearly seven thousand dollars.
  • He can wait for the amount due him.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: needed, owing, to be made, required

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Appropriate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • With all due respect, you're wrong about that.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Scheduled; expected.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Rain is due this afternoon.
  • The train is due in five minutes.
  • When is your baby due?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: expected, forecast

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Having reached the expected, scheduled, or natural time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The baby is just about due.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: expected

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Owing; ascribable, as to a cause.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The dangerously low water table is due to rapidly growing pumping.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

On a direct bearing, especially for the four points of the compass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The town is 5 miles due North of the bridge.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adv

Meaning 7

Directly; exactly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The river runs due north for about a mile.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

name

Meaning 8

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Deserved acknowledgment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Give him his due – he is a good actor.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A membership fee.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

That which is owed; debt; that which belongs or may be claimed as a right; whatever custom, law, or morality requires to be done, duty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

Right; just title or claim.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective

Meaning 13

owed and payable immediately or on demand

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • payment is due

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: undue

14

adjective

Meaning 14

suitable to or expected in the circumstances

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • all due respect
  • due cause to honor them
  • a long due promotion
  • in due course
  • due esteem
  • exercising due care

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: undue

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

capable of being assigned or credited to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • punctuation errors ascribable to careless proofreading
  • the cancellation of the concert was due to the rain
  • the oversight was not imputable to him

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ascribable, imputable, referable

Antonyms: none provided

16

adverb

Meaning 16

directly or exactly; straight

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • went due North

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

that which is deserved or owed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • give the devil his due

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: right

18

noun

Meaning 18

a payment that is due (e.g., as the price of membership)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the society dropped him for non-payment of dues

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fixed charge, fixed cost, fixed costs

History

Etymology

From Middle English dewe, dew, due, from Old French deü (“due”), past participle of devoir (“to owe”), from Latin dēbēre (“to owe”), from dē- (“from”) + habeō (“to have”).

Across languages

Translations

90 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: дължим (dǎlžim) — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Czech: splatný — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Danish: skyldig — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Danish: forfalden — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Esperanto: ŝuldata — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Finnish: erääntyvä — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Finnish: erääntynyt — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Finnish: maksettava — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • French: dû — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Georgian: გადასახდელი (gadasaxdeli) — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • German: fällig — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Hindi: देय (dey) — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Hungarian: jogosult — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Hungarian: járó — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Hungarian: fizetendő — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Manx: appee — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Polish: należny — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Portuguese: devido — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Russian: подлежа́щий опла́те (podležáščij opláte) — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Russian: причита́ющийся (pričitájuščijsja) — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Scottish Gaelic: inbheach — owed or owing, to be paid by the stated time
  • Czech: příslušný — appropriate
  • Czech: zasloužený — appropriate
  • Czech: náležitý — appropriate
  • Esperanto: taŭga — appropriate
  • Finnish: asiaankuuluva — appropriate
  • Finnish: asianmukainen — appropriate
  • Hungarian: jogos — appropriate
  • Hungarian: helyénvaló — appropriate
  • Portuguese: devido — appropriate
  • Russian: подоба́ющий (podobájuščij) — appropriate
  • Russian: надлежа́щий (nadležáščij) — appropriate
  • Czech: mající nastat — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Czech: nastávající — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Finnish: odotettavissa — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • German: fällig — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Hungarian: várható — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Hungarian: esedékes — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Hungarian: időszerű — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Polish: spodziewany — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Russian: ожида́емый (ožidájemyj) — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Scottish Gaelic: inbheach — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Spanish: ser para — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Spanish: estar para — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Spanish: (¿)para cuándo ser (question) — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Spanish: (¿)para cuándo estar — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Tagalog: hanggan — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Ukrainian: очі́куванний (očíkuvannyj) — of an event, scheduled, expected
  • Czech: plánovaný — of public transport, supposed to arrive at the stated time
  • Czech: očekávaný — of public transport, supposed to arrive at the stated time
  • Finnish: aikataulun mukaan — of public transport, supposed to arrive at the stated time
  • Hungarian: várható — of public transport, supposed to arrive at the stated time
  • Czech: očekávaný — of a baby, expected to be born at the stated time
  • Finnish: see laskettu aika — of a baby, expected to be born at the stated time
  • Hungarian: várható — of a baby, expected to be born at the stated time
  • Czech: v očekávání — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Finnish: see laskettu aika — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Hungarian: ki van írva — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Spanish: salir de cuentas — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Spanish: salir de cuenta — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Spanish: estar fuera de cuentas — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Spanish: estar fuera de cuenta — of a pregnant woman, due to give birth on the stated date
  • Czech: dovršený — having reached the expected, scheduled, or natural time
  • Czech: nastalý — having reached the expected, scheduled, or natural time
  • Finnish: tulollaan — having reached the expected, scheduled, or natural time
  • Finnish: myöhässä — having reached the expected, scheduled, or natural time
  • French: plein — On a direct bearing, especially for the four points of the compass
  • Bulgarian: право (pravo) — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Czech: rovnou — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Czech: přímo — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Danish: stik — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Finnish: suoraan — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Portuguese: exatamente — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Russian: пря́мо (prjámo) — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Russian: то́чно (tóčno) — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Swedish: rakt — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Tagalog: pa- — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Ukrainian: то́чно (tóčno) — used with compass directions: directly or exactly
  • Bulgarian: дължимо (dǎlžimo) — deserved acknowledgement
  • Bulgarian: полагаемо (polagaemo) — deserved acknowledgement
  • Czech: to zasloužené (vše) — deserved acknowledgement
  • Finnish: tunnustus — deserved acknowledgement
  • Russian: до́лжное (dólžnoje) — deserved acknowledgement
  • Scottish Gaelic: còir — deserved acknowledgement
  • Spanish: mérito — deserved acknowledgement
  • Ukrainian: нале́жне (naléžne) — deserved acknowledgement
  • Norwegian Bokmål: medlemsavgift — membership fees
  • Portuguese: quota — membership fees
  • Portuguese: cota — membership fees
  • Turkish: aidat — membership fees