Etymology

obligatory

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Today it means: Imposing obligation, legally, morally, or otherwise; binding; mandatory. Full definition →

Middle English obligatorie ← Latin obligātōrius ← Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₁óp(i)
  4. Proto-Italic*op
  5. Latinob
  6. Latinob-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*leyǵ-
  8. Latinligō
  9. Latinobligō
  10. Latinobligātōrius
  11. Middle Englishobligatorie
  12. English todayobligatory

From Middle English obligatorie, from Latin obligatōrius.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.