-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, orig. 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

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British Dictionary definitions for -atory

-atory

suffix forming adjectives

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

Word Origin

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

-atory

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}-atory

-atory

Word Origin

Origin of -atory