cometido

Cometido is a Spanish noun that denotes a task, duty, assignment, or mission entrusted to a person or group. It refers to an obligation or objective that one is expected to accomplish, typically within a formal or organized setting. Common formulations include cumplir con el cometido (to fulfill one’s duty) and asumir un nuevo cometido (to take on a new assignment). The term is widely used in administrative, military, corporate, and organizational contexts.

Etymology and related senses: Cometido derives from the verb cometer (to commit) and ultimately from Latin committere, meaning to entrust or undertake. Over time, the a noun form emerged to signify the entrusted task or objective. It is important to distinguish this noun from the past participle of cometer, which is also cometido and means “committed” as in un hecho cometido (a committed or completed act). The two forms are related in origin but differ in usage: one designates an assignment, the other describes something that has been done or perpetrated.

Usage and synonyms: In everyday and formal Spanish, cometido is often interchangeable with encargo, misión, tarea, or deber depending on context. It emphasizes the responsibility or purpose assigned to someone, rather than simply the action of performing it. Examples include assigning a project as a company’s strategic cometido or a government body outlining its security cometido. In English, equivalents include task, assignment, duty, mission, or responsibility.