Accountability
As a Noun
- The responsibility to explain or justify one’s actions, decisions, or obligations.
- The expectation of being answerable for outcomes, especially in a professional or ethical context.
- The practice of being transparent and responsible for one’s duties or commitments.
As Other Form
- Accountable (Adjective): Being responsible for one’s actions and decisions.
- Account (Verb/Noun): To explain or justify something; a record of financial or personal information.
Word History
The word accountability comes from account, which originates from the Old French aconter (to reckon, count) and the Latin computare (to calculate). Over time, it evolved to mean being responsible for explaining or justifying one’s actions, especially in governance, business, and ethics.
Examples
- Leaders must embrace accountability for their decisions and actions.
- The company promotes a culture of accountability to ensure transparency.
- Without accountability, mistakes may go unnoticed and uncorrected.
Synonyms
Responsibility, answerability, liability, obligation, transparency
Related Words
Dependability, integrity, ownership, duty
Antonyms
Irresponsibility, unaccountability, recklessness, exemption
