Precatory
//ˈpɹɛ.kəˌtɔ.ɹi// adj
adj ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Expressing a wish.
"December 8. . . . A precatory letter from Gillies. I must do Molière for him, I suppose; but it is wonderful that knowing the situation I am in, the poor fellow presses so hard."
- 2 Expressing a wish but not creating any legal obligation or duty.
"precatory words in a will"
Adjective
- 1 expressing entreaty or supplication wordnet
Example
More examples"December 8. . . . A precatory letter from Gillies. I must do Molière for him, I suppose; but it is wonderful that knowing the situation I am in, the poor fellow presses so hard."
Etymology
From Late Latin precatorius, from Latin precari (“to pray”).
More for "precatory"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.