Commendatory
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 That which commends; a commendation; eulogy. obsolete
"To him he adheres, resigns the whole ware-house of his religion, with all the locks and keyes into his custody; and indeed makes the very person of that man his religion; esteems his associating with him a sufficient evidence and commendatory of his own piety."
- 1 Serving to commend or compliment; complimentary.
"1577, Raphael Holinshed et al., The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irlande, London: John Hunne, The Historie of England, Kinewulfe, p. 198, In the yeare of our Lorde .786. […] Pope Adrian sent two Lega[ts into] Englande […] with letters commendatory vnto Offa king of Mercia […]"
- 2 Holding a benefice in commendam.
"a commendatory bishop"
Example
More examples"1577, Raphael Holinshed et al., The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irlande, London: John Hunne, The Historie of England, Kinewulfe, p. 198, In the yeare of our Lorde .786. […] Pope Adrian sent two Lega[ts into] Englande […] with letters commendatory vnto Offa king of Mercia […]"
Etymology
From commend + -atory.
Related phrases
More for "commendatory"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.