mandatory

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

adjective

1. authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory:

   It is mandatory that all students take two years of math.

   Synonyms: exigent, requisite

2. pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing a command.
3. Law. permitting no option; not to be disregarded or modified:

   a mandatory clause.

4. having received a mandate, as a nation.

noun

, plural man·da·to·ries.

1. mandatary.

mandatory

/ ˈmændətərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

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

noun

1. Also calledmandatary a person or state holding a mandate

Derived Forms

• ˈmandatorily, adverb

Other Words From

• manda·tori·ly adverb
• non·manda·tory adjective noun plural nonmandatories
• un·manda·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mandatory¹

From the Late Latin word mandātōrius, dating back to 1655–65. See mandate, -tory ¹

Example Sentences

The Legislature should pass a bill to remove mandatory work from the Penal Code that doesn’t rely on a constitutional amendment.

From Los Angeles Times

E.On failed to pay the credit in the accounts of mostly vulnerable customers who had ended their contract with the supplier in a mandatory six-week window.

From BBC

Covering the neck and head and dressing modestly became mandatory for women in Iran following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

From BBC

Other restrictions - backed by the previous Conservative government - would make it mandatory for homeowners to apply for planning permission to turn their property into a holiday let.

From BBC

For the U.S. to do better, decreasing corporate influence and eliminating mandatory foods might be a way to cut down on plate waste.

From Salon

Related Words

• binding
• compulsory
• de rigueur
• essential
• forced
• imperative
• indispensable
• involuntary
• obligatory