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facultative

 - 5 dictionary results

fac⋅ul⋅ta⋅tive

  [fak-uhl-tey-tiv]
Use facultative in a Sentence
–adjective
1. conferring a faculty, privilege, permission, or the power of doing or not doing something: a facultative enactment.
2. left to one's option or choice; optional: The last questions in the examination were facultative.
3. that may or may not take place; that may or may not assume a specified character.
4. Biology. having the capacity to live under more than one specific set of environmental conditions, as a plant that can lead either a parasitic or a nonparasitic life or a bacterium that can live with or without air (opposed to obligate ).
5. of or pertaining to the faculties.
Origin:
1810–20; < NL facultātīvus. See faculty, -ive

Related forms:
fac⋅ul⋅ta⋅tive⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To facultative
fac·ul·ta·tive   (fāk'əl-tā'tĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Of or relating to a mental faculty.

    1. Capable of occurring or not occurring; contingent.

    2. Not required or compulsory; optional.

  3. Granting permission or authority.

  4. Biology Capable of functioning under varying environmental conditions. Used of certain organisms, such as bacteria that can live with or without oxygen.

fac'ul·ta'tive·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: fac·ul·ta·tive
Pronunciation: 'fak-&l-"tAt-iv
Function: adjective
1 : taking place under some conditions but notunder others <facultative parasitism>
2 : exhibiting an indicated lifestyle under some environmental conditions but not under others <facultativeanaerobes> —fac·ul·ta·tive·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

facultative fac·ul·ta·tive (fāk'əl-tā'tĭv)
adj.

  1. Capable of functioning under varying environmental conditions. Used of certain organisms, such as bacteria that can live with or without oxygen.

  2. Capable of occurring along various pathways or under various conditions.

fac'ul·ta'tive·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
facultative   (fāk'əl-tā'tĭv)  Pronunciation Key 
Capable of existing under varying environmental conditions or by assuming various behaviors. Bacteria that are facultative aerobes can live in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. A facultative parasite can live independently of its usual host. Compare obligate.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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