skyldighed

skyldighed is a Danish noun meaning obligation, duty, or responsibility. It can refer to a legally binding duty arising from law, contract, or regulation, as well as to moral or social duties expected within a community. The term encompasses both formal obligations and the broader sense of what one owes to others.

The word originates from roots related to debt or owing something, with cognates in Norwegian and Swedish (skyldighet). The core sense is that one has something due to another, similar to a debt that must be repaid.

In Danish usage, skyldighed is often used where English would use obligation or duty, especially in formal or ethical contexts. Related terms include forpligtelse (a formal obligation or commitment), pligt (a duty or obligation, sometimes normative), and ansvar (responsibility).

Contexts for skyldighed span legal, social, and ethical domains. Legally, a person may have a skyldighed to comply with taxes, contracts, or court orders. Socially, families and communities may expect acts of care or support as a skyldighed. Ethically, in philosophy and moral discourse, skyldighed denotes a normative obligation that may be binding regardless of personal desire or consequences.

See also: skyldig, pligt, forpligtelse, ansvar.