fiduciary
/fɪˈdjuː.ʃi.əri/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Describing a legal or business duty to act for another person's benefit, with trust and honesty. A fiduciary duty requires careful care, loyalty, and no self-interest.
- She has a fiduciary duty to her clients.
- The trustee must act in a fiduciary role.
- Directors owe fiduciary duties to the company.
noun
A person or organization that must act for another person's benefit, especially in law or finance. This person is trusted to manage money, property, or decisions carefully.
- The lawyer acted as a fiduciary.
- Bankers may be fiduciaries in some cases.
- A fiduciary must avoid conflicts of interest.
Adinary Nuance
Fiduciary is stronger and more legal than trust-based words like 'reliable' or 'responsible'. It is used when someone must put another person's interests first, often in law, finance, or management. Writers choose it when the duty is formal and serious, not just moral.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- ủy thác
- Spanish
- fiduciario
- Chinese
- 信托
- Japanese
- 受託の
- Korean
- 신탁의
Etymology
Fiduciary comes from Latin fiduciarius, from fiducia meaning 'trust'. It entered English in the 17th century, mainly in law and finance.
Common phrases
fiduciary dutyfiduciary relationshipfiduciary responsibilityfiduciary capacity
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is fiduciary a formal word?
- Yes. It is formal and common in law, finance, and business writing.
- What is the difference between fiduciary and trustworthy?
- Trustworthy describes a person. Fiduciary describes a legal duty or role to act for someone else.
- Can I use fiduciary in everyday speech?
- You can, but it sounds legal or professional, not casual.
- What does fiduciary duty mean?
- It means a duty to act honestly and in the other person's best interest.