devoir
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (1)
- formal expression of respect
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Devoir \De*voir"\, n. [F., fr. L. debere to owe. See Due.] Duty; service owed; hence, due act of civility or respect; -- now usually in the plural; as, they paid their devoirs to the ladies. "Do now your devoid, young knights!" --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]