Phrase guide

duty of care

noun · 1 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring that they adhere to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 注意義務 /注意义务 (zhùyì yìwù) — legal obligation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 關照義務 /关照义务 (guānzhào yìwù) — legal obligation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 謹慎責任 /谨慎责任 (jǐnshèn zérèn) — legal obligation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 照顧責任 /照顾责任 (zhàogù zérèn) — legal obligation
  • Dutch: zorgplicht — legal obligation
  • Dutch: zorgvuldigheidsplicht — legal obligation
  • Finnish: huolellisuusvelvoite — legal obligation
  • Finnish: huolenpitovelvoite — legal obligation
  • French: devoir de diligence — legal obligation
  • German: Sorgfaltspflicht — legal obligation
  • German: Fürsorgepflicht — legal obligation
  • Icelandic: varúðarskylda — legal obligation
  • Polish: należyta staranność — legal obligation