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mandatory

[ man-duh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]
/ ˈmæn dəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /
See synonyms for mandatory on Thesaurus.com

adjective

authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory: It is mandatory that all students take two years of math.
pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing a command.
Law. permitting no option; not to be disregarded or modified: a mandatory clause.
having received a mandate, as a nation.

noun, plural man·da·to·ries.

mandatary.

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Origin of mandatory

From the Late Latin word mandātōrius, dating back to 1655–65. See mandate, -tory1

OTHER WORDS FROM mandatory

man·da·to·ri·ly, adverbnon·man·da·to·ry, adjective, noun, plural non·man·da·to·ries.un·man·da·to·ry, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to mandatory

forced, involuntary, indispensable, binding, essential, obligatory, imperative, de rigueur, compulsory, requisite, commanding, compelling, imperious, needful, irremissible

Example sentences from the Web for mandatory

British Dictionary definitions for mandatory

mandatory
/ (ˈmændətərɪ, -trɪ) /

adjective

having the nature or powers of a mandate
obligatory; compulsory
(of a state) having received a mandate over some territory

noun plural -ries

Also called: mandatary a person or state holding a mandate

Derived forms of mandatory

mandatorily, adverb
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