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Obligatory vs Optative - What's the difference?

obligatory | optative |

As adjectives the difference between obligatory and optative

is that obligatory is imposing obligation, morally or legally; binding while optative is expressing a wish or a choice.

As a noun optative is

(grammar) a mood of verbs found in some languages (eg old prussian, ancient greek), used to express a wish english has no inflexional optative mood, but it has modal verbs like "might" and "may" that express possibility.

obligatory

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Imposing obligation, morally or legally; binding.
    • an obligatory promise
  • * Richard Baxter
    • if he speak the words of an oath in a strange language, thinking they signify something else, or if he spake in his sleep, or deliration, or distraction, it is no oath, and so not obligatory .
  • Requiring a matter or obligation.

    • Antonyms

    * optional

    Related terms

    * obligate * obligated * obligation * obligational * obligato * obligatorily * oblige * obligee * obliger * obliging * obligingly * obligingness * obligor

    External links

    *

    optative

    English

    Alternative forms

    *

    Adjective

    (-)
  • expressing a wish or a choice.
    • (Fuller)
  • (grammar) related or pertaining to the optative mood.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (grammar) a mood of verbs found in some languages (e.g. Old Prussian, Ancient Greek), used to express a wish. English has no inflexional optative mood, but it has modal verbs like "might" and "may" that express possibility.
  • (grammar) a verb or expression in the optative mood.

    • Derived terms

    * optatively

    See also

    * subjunctive