Etymology Borrowed from Late Latin compulsorius, from Latin compulsus. Displaced native Old English ġenīedelīċ.
1
Required; obligatory; mandatory.
The ten-dollar fee was compulsory.
They are entirely private concerns, established by individual teachers, and attendance upon them is no more compulsory than attendance on our dispensaries.1827, A. D. Jr., Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, A. and C. Black, page 212:
3 more examples
Some might agree that membership in the firm is perhaps more compulsory than membership in a municipality, but balk at applying the analogy to the nation.1996, Ugo Pagano, Democracy and Efficiency in the Economic Enterprise, page 73:
Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.2013 July 19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30:
I haven't booked, so I don't have a clue as to whether the service will be busy or not. Supposedly, reservations are compulsory, but I want to find out what would happen if you just turn up.2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68:
2
Having the power of compulsion; constraining.
Such compulsory measures are limited.
There will be financial and other incentives to encourage voluntary recruitment, but if that fails to find the numbers a compulsory nationwide call-up will be reconsidered.2025 November 13, Kate Connolly, “Germany decides against conscription to replenish post-cold war military”, in The Guardian:
Etymology Borrowed from Late Latin compulsorius, from Latin compulsus. Displaced native Old English ġenīedelīċ.
1
Something that is compulsory or required.
Delobel and Schoenfelder failed to win the free dance, but they had built a big lead in the compulsories and the original dance.2008 March 22, The Associated Press, “French Victory in Ice Dance”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2022: