justificatory

[ juh-stif-i-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, juhs-tuh-fi-key-tuh-ree ]

adjective

1. serving to justify; providing justification.

Word History and Origins

Origin of justificatory¹

1570–80; < Late Latin justificā ( re ) to justify + -tory ¹

Example Sentences

No work is complete without a justificatory explanation stapled to it; shape and color and line are hardly anyone’s concern.

From New York Times

"The crime was the crime of a madman," they said in a long justificatory piece this week in Le Monde.

From BBC

Do you think it’s true that, fundamentally, religions are justificatory props and that it’s more concrete or existential grievances that are really animating behavior?

From Salon

They must thus cover them with dollops of justificatory pride, to lever some notional dollop of happiness.

From The Guardian

We have inserted many justificatory pieces, some of which have never before been published.

From Project Gutenberg