verbindlich

Verbindlich is an adjective in the German language. It denotes binding force or credibility. In a legal or contractual context, something verbindlich establishes an obligation that can be enforced; in everyday use it can also describe reliability or trustworthiness of a statement, a person, or an institution.

Common uses include verbindliche Zusage (binding commitment), verbindliches Angebot (binding offer), verbindlicher Vertrag (binding contract), or verbindliche Klauseln. The opposite form is unverbindlich, meaning non-binding or tentative, as in unverbindliches Angebot or unverbindliche Informationen. In finance and accounting, the noun Verbindlichkeiten refers to liabilities or obligations; in a person’s character, Verbindlichkeit denotes reliability.

Etymology and nuance: The word is derived from the verb binden with the prefix ver-, which adds a sense of making binding or establishing a relationship. Verbindlichkeit (the related noun) expresses the binding nature or credibility of something, and it can also refer to reliability in a personal or organizational context, as well as to legal obligations or debts when used in the plural Verbindlichkeiten.