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καθήκον
duty /kaˈθikon/
nounA2#780 most common
Also: obligation, responsibility, (Stoic philosophy) appropriate/befitting action
Example sentences
Είναι το καθήκον μου.
It is my duty.
Κάθε στρατιώτης έχει καθήκοντα.
Every soldier has duties.
Θεωρεί καθήκον του να βοηθάει τους φίλους του.
He considers it his duty to help his friends.
Ο αστυνομικός εκτελούσε τα καθήκοντά του όταν τραυματίστηκε.
The police officer was carrying out his duties when he was injured.
Η εκπλήρωση των επαγγελματικών καθηκόντων απαιτεί συνέπεια και υπευθυνότητα.
The fulfilment of professional duties requires consistency and responsibility.
Επειδή παρέβη κατ' εξακολούθηση τα υπηρεσιακά του καθήκοντα, παραπέμφθηκε σε πειθαρχικό συμβούλιο.
Because he repeatedly breached his official duties, he was referred to a disciplinary board.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | καθήκον | καθήκοντα |
| Genitive | καθήκοντος | καθηκόντων |
| Accusative | καθήκον | καθήκοντα |
| Vocative | καθήκον | καθήκοντα |
Word family
καθήκωto be incumbent upon, to befit (literary)
καθηκόντωςdutifully, properly (formal)
ανήκωto belong (shares the ἥκω root)προσήκωνfitting, due, proper (formal/legal)
Etymology
From Ancient Greek καθῆκον, the neuter present participle of καθήκω 'to be fitting, to be incumbent upon', a compound of κατά 'down, according to' (assimilated to καθ- before the rough breathing) and ἥκω 'to have come, to be present'. Literally 'that which comes down to / falls upon one', hence 'what is fitting to do'. The Stoics adopted τὸ καθῆκον as a technical term for the 'appropriate action', which Cicero famously rendered into Latin as officium.
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