dues
UK[djuːz]US[duːz]
n
regular payments required for membership of an organization.
n
what is owed or deserved.
Morpheme Breakdown
due
s
due
owed
s
plural suffix
Etymology
the word 'dues' originates from the latin verb 'debere', meaning "to owe". this passed into old french as the past participle 'deu', signifying "owed", which was adopted into middle english as 'due', an adjective and noun for something that is owed or payable. the addition of the native english plural suffix '-s' transformed it into a collective noun, specifically referring to the obligatory payments, such as membership fees, that are regularly owed. thus, the modern term 'dues' logically extends the core concept of a debt or obligation into the realm of ongoing financial commitments to a group.
Analysis
Structure: due (owed) + s (plural suffix)
- due: from latin 'debere' (to owe), via old french 'deu' (owed, due). functions as the root adjective/noun meaning "owed" or "payable".
- s: from old english, a native english plural suffix. functions to indicate the plural form of the noun 'due'.
Examples
membership dues must be paid by the end of the month.
he paid his union dues for over twenty years.
the society collects annual dues to fund its activities.