/ri spon'seuh bil"i tee/ , n. , pl. responsibilities .
1. the state or fact of being responsible.
2. an instance of being responsible: The responsibility for this mess is yours!
3. a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible: the responsibilities of authority.
4. a person or thing for which one is responsible: A child is a responsibility to its parents.
5. reliability or dependability, esp. in meeting debts or payments.
6. on one's own responsibility , on one's own initiative or authority: He changed the order on his own responsibility.
[ 1780-90; RESPONS(IBLE) + -IBILITY ]
Syn. 1. answerability, accountability.