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-atory

  1. a combination of -ate 1 and -ory 1 or -ory 2, used infrequently as an independent suffix with the same senses as -ory 1 and -ory 2: affirmatory; observatory .

-atory

suffix forming adjectives

  1. of, relating to, characterized by, or serving to

    migratory

    explanatory

    circulatory

    exploratory

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Word History and Origins

Origin of -atory1

< Latin -ātōrius, -a, -um, originally the termination of adjectives formed with -tōrius ( -tory 1, -tory 2 ) and verbs whose stems ended in -ā-; reanalyzed in English in the same way as -ator

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Word History and Origins

Origin of -atory1

from Latin -ātōrius; see -ate 1, -ory ²

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Example Sentences

Advis′atory (rare); Advised′, cautious: deliberate, as in well-advised and ill-advised.

Feud′ary, Feud′atory, holding lands or power by a feudal tenure—also ns.

Hab′ilable (Carlyle), capable of being clothed; Habil′atory, having reference to dressing.

Hortative, hort′a-tiv, adj. inciting: encouraging: giving advice—also Hort′atory.

Cement′atory, Cementi′tious, having the quality of cementing or uniting firmly.

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