-atory

a combination of -ate¹ and -ory¹ or -ory², used infrequently as an independent suffix with the same senses as -ory¹ and -ory²: affirmatory; observatory.

Origin of -atory

<Latin -ātōrius,-a,-um, originally the termination of adjectives formed with -tōrius (see -tory¹, -tory²) and verbs whose stems ended in -ā-; reanalyzed in English in the same way as -ator

Words Nearby -atory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use -atory in a sentence

Advis′atory (rare); Advised′, cautious: deliberate, as in well-advised and ill-advised.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) | Various
Feud′ary, Feud′atory, holding lands or power by a feudal tenure—also ns.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) | Various
Hab′ilable (Carlyle), capable of being clothed; Habil′atory, having reference to dressing.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) | Various
Hortative, hort′a-tiv, adj. inciting: encouraging: giving advice—also Hort′atory.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) | Various
Cement′atory, Cementi′tious, having the quality of cementing or uniting firmly.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) | Various

British Dictionary definitions for -atory

-atory

suffix forming adjectives

of, relating to, characterized by, or serving to: circulatory; exploratory; migratory; explanatory

Origin of -atory

from Latin -ātōrius; see -ate 1, -ory ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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