mandatory

UK: /ˈmændətəri/ US: /ˈmændəˌtɔri/ ,(man′də tôr′ē, -tōr′ē)

Inflections of 'mandatory' (n): npl: mandatories

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

man•da•to•ry /ˈmændəˌtɔri/   adj. 

1. ordered by an authority:
   mandatory budget cuts.

See -mand-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

man•da•to•ry  (man′də tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj., n., pl. -ries. 
adj. 

1. authoritatively ordered;
   obligatory;
   compulsory:
   It is mandatory that all students take two years of math.
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. Government having received a mandate, as a nation.

n. 

5. Government mandatary.

• Late Latin mandātōrius. See mandate, -tory¹
• 1655–65

man′da•to′ri•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. requisite, exigent.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

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 ( -ries)

1. Also called: mandatary a person or state holding a mandate

ˈmandatorily adverb