different between obligation vs qualification

English

Etymology

From Middle English obligacioun, from Old French obligacion, from Latin obligatio, obligationem, from obligatum (past participle of obligare), from ob- (“to”) + ligare (“to bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *ley?- (“to bind”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?b.l???e?.??n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

obligation (countable and uncountable, plural obligations)

1. The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.
2. A social, legal, or moral requirement, duty, contract, or promise that compels someone to follow or avoid a particular course of action.
3. A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which someone is bound or restricted.
4. (law) A legal agreement stipulating a specified action or forbearance by a party to the agreement; the document containing such agreement.
   • 1668 December 19, James Dalrymple, “Mr. Alexander Seaton contra Menzies” in The Deci?ions of the Lords of Council & Se??ion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 575

     The Pupil after his Pupillarity, had granted a Di?charge to one of the Co-tutors, which did extingui?h the whole Debt of that Co-tutor, and con?equently of all the re?t, they being all correi debendi, lyable by one individual Obligation, which cannot be Di?charged as to one, and ?tand as to all the re?t.

Usage notes

• Adjectives often used with "obligation": moral, legal, social, contractual, political, mutual, military, perpetual, etc.

Synonyms

• (the act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone): commitment
• (requirement, duty, contract or promise): duty

Antonyms

• (requirement, duty, contract or promise): right

Related terms

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin obligatio, obligationem, from the verb oblig? (“tie together”).

Pronunciation

Noun

obligation f (plural obligations)

1. obligation

Related terms

• obliger

Further reading

• “obligation” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle English

Noun

obligation

1. Alternative form of obligacioun

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French qualification in the 1540s, which in turn derives from Medieval Latin qu?lific?ti?. Surface analysis: qual(ify) +? -ification.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?kw?l?f??ke???n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?kw?l?f??ke???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

qualification (countable and uncountable, plural qualifications)

1. The act or process of qualifying for a position, achievement etc. [from 16th c.]

   Qualification for this organization is extraordinarily difficult.

2. An ability or attribute that aids someone's chances of qualifying for something; specifically, completed professional training. [from 17th c.]

   What are your qualifications for this job?

3. (Britain) A certificate, diploma, or degree awarded after successful completion of a course, training, or exam.
4. A clause or condition which qualifies something; a modification, a limitation. [from 16th c.]

   I accept your offer, but with the following qualification.

5. (obsolete) A quality or attribute. [17th-19th c.]
   • 1714, Bernard Mandeville, The Fable of the Bees:

     To shew, that these Qualfications, which we all pretend to be asham'd of, are the great support of a flourishing Society has been the subject of the foregoing Poem.

Derived terms

• disqualification
• qualification problem

Related terms

• qualify
• certification

Translations

See also

• clarification

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.li.fi.ka.sj??/

Noun

qualification f (plural qualifications)

1. qualification (all senses)

Related terms

• qualifier

Further reading

• “qualification” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).