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Added 9 October 2026

onus

/ˈəʊnəs/ noun

In Latin: onus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about onus at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A legal obligation.
The onus is on the landlord to make sure the walls are protected from mildew.
Burden of proof, onus probandi.
Responsibility; burden.
The onus is on those who disagree with my proposal to explain why.

Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin onus (literally “burden”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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