cautionary

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UK/ˈkɔːʃənəɹi/UK/ˈkɔːʃənɹi/US/ˈkɔʃəˌnɛɹi/Atlantic Canada, US, cot caught merger/ˈkɑ.ʃəˌnɛɹ.i/

adjective

Serving to caution or warn; admonitory

“Most parents were optimistic, but others sounded a cautionary note.”

Similar
prophylacticprotectiveadmonitoryexemplarymonitorywarningdissuasive
OriginMedieval Latin cautiōnārius →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

adjectivecautionary (comparative more cautionary, superlative most cautionary)

comparative more cautionary · superlative most cautionary

  1. Serving to caution or warn; admonitory

    Most parents were optimistic, but others sounded a cautionary note.

  2. Serving to ward off; preventive
  3. obsoleteHeld as security or hostage

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivewarding off

Similar
prophylacticprotective

adjectiveserving to warn

Similar
admonitoryexemplarymonitorywarningdissuasive
Also see
admonitorycautionaldissuasiveexemplarymonitoryprophylacticprotectivewarning

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Medieval Latincautiōnārius
  2. Medieval Latincautiōnārius
  3. Englishcautionary

Borrowed from Medieval Latin cautiōnārius.

More words from Medieval Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish precautorio, cautelar
  • precautorioserving to caution or warn — see also admonitory
  • cautelarserving to caution or warn — see also admonitory

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

auctionary
Cite this entry
APA

cautionary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cautionary

MLA

“cautionary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cautionary. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cautionary,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cautionary.

Source: cautionary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.