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ob·li·ga·tion (ŏb′lĭ-gāshən)
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n.
1.
a. A social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise, that compels one to follow or avoid a particular course of action: Are you able to meet your obligations? I have an obligation to attend their wedding.
b. The constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty: I felt no obligation to offer my advice.
c. Law A document in which a person binds himself or herself to undertake or refrain from doing a particular act.
d. A debt instrument, such as a loan, mortgage, or bond.
2. The state, fact, or feeling of being indebted to another for a special service or favor received: If they invite us, aren't we under obligation to invite them in return?
ob′li·gation·al adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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