Due

How to spell due

3 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce due

What does due mean?

1. adjectiveOwed as a debt or obligation, or expected at a particular time.
2. nounSomething a person is owed or rightfully entitled to; in the plural, a regular membership fee.
3. adverbExactly or directly, used before a point of the compass.

Due in a sentence

• adjective

  The rent is due on the first of every month.

• noun

  The annual club due must be paid by March.

• adverb

  The ship sailed due north toward the harbour.

• adjective

  The train is due to arrive at noon.

• noun

  After years of hard work she finally received her due.

• adverb

  The village lies due west of the city.

Where does due come from?

Language of origin: French

This word arrived in English in the 1300s from the Old French deu, the past participle of the verb devoir, which meant 'to owe'. That French verb in turn descended from the Latin debere, 'to owe' or 'to be bound to', formed from de 'from' and habere 'to have', the literal idea being to have something taken from you that you must give back. The earliest English sense was simply 'owed as a debt', and from there it widened to mean 'rightfully expected' and 'scheduled to arrive'. The same Latin debere also gave us 'debt', 'debit' and 'duty', so the family is all about obligation. The chief spelling trap is that 'due' sounds exactly like 'dew' (the moisture) and very nearly like 'do', yet keeps its quiet French -ue ending.

How the word is built

• due (single root from Old French deu, past participle of devoir 'to owe'); no affixes