mandatory

[ man-duh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

/ ˈmæn dəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

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.

Words nearby mandatory

mandarin orange, mandarinate, mandatary, mandate, mandator, mandatory, mande, mandean, mandel, mandela, mandela, nelson

Origin of mandatory

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

SYNONYMS FOR mandatory

1 requisite, exigent.

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. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for mandatorily

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