A duty or obligation; a task or piece of written work assigned as homework, especially an essay or composition.
From Old French devoir, from Latin debere (to owe, be obligated), the same root as 'debt.' It entered English in the 14th century, often used in educational contexts.
The French word 'devoir' literally means 'must-do,' and it's still used in French schools for homework assignments—it's basically saying 'this is something you owe to your education!'
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