invitatory

American  

[in-vahy-tuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ɪnˈvaɪ təˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

adjective

1. serving to invite; conveying an invitation.

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invitatory British  

/ -trɪ, ɪnˈvaɪtətərɪ /

adjective

1. serving as or conveying an invitation

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noun

1. any of various invitations to prayer, such as Psalm 95 in a religious service

Etymology

Origin of invitatory

1300–50; Middle English < Late Latin invītātōrius, equivalent to invitā ( re ) to invite + -tōrius -tory ¹

Example Sentences

“Don’t care if I do, Bill,” he continued, in response to Bill’s invitatory gesture, walking to the bar.

From The Idler Magazine, Vol III. May 1893 An Illustrated Monthly by Various

His growl was as thunder in their ears, whether he spake to them in mirth or in rebuke, his invitatory notes being, indeed, of all, the most repulsive and horrid.

From The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 2 Elia and The Last Essays of Elia by Lamb, Charles

About midnight a more solemn Office began, this time with the invitatory and psalm Venite.

From The Divine Office by Quigley, Edward J.

We appeal to each of these post-Elizabethans with the invitatory line of one of them: ‘Charm me asleep with thy delicious numbers!’

From Thomas Stanley: His Original Lyrics, Complete, In Their Collated Readings of 1647, 1651, 1657. With an Introduction, Textual Notes, A List of Editions, An Appendis of Translation, and a Portrait. by Stanley, Thomas

Down one block—two, three; then a sudden pause before a narrow store front liberally placarded with invitatory signs to the public, and with a red cross blazoning above the doorway.

From The Best Short Stories of 1915 And the Yearbook of the American Short Story by O'Brien, Edward J. (Edward Joseph Harrington)