mandatory
Noun pluralmandatories
Pluralmandatories
- 1Required by a rule, a law, or by someone in charge, not a matter of choice.
Like a rule you must follow, not a choice you can skip.
Wearing a helmet is mandatory on this construction site.
The school made the morning meeting mandatory for every student.
Similarrequired, compulsory, obligatory, binding, imperative
Oppositeoptional, elective, voluntary
Note
- 2Relating to a mandate, which is the power to govern an area given to a country by an official group.
The mandatory power was responsible for running the territory after the war.
Britain took on a mandatory role over the region for several decades.
Note
- 3In disc golf, a marker that forces your throw to pass a certain spot on a set side, above, or below it.
Like a gate you must throw through on the correct side.
The mandatory forced every player to keep their drive left of the tall oak.
She missed the mandatory and had to take a penalty stroke.
Note
Less common meaning
- 4A person, group, or country that has been given a mandate to act or to govern on another's behalf.
Like a country given the job of looking after another place for a while.
The mandatory was bound to administer the colony for the good of its people.
As mandatory for the region, France held broad powers to govern.
Note
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Late Latin mandatorius, meaning belonging to a commander, from mandator, 'one who commands.' It is linked to the word mandate.