adj.
Pronunciation: ə - ' bli-g ə - ˌ to ̇ r- ē , ä- also ' ä-bli-g ə -
Function: adjective
Date: 15th century
1 : binding in law or conscience
2 : relating to or enforcing an obligation <a writ obligatory >
3 : MANDATORY , REQUIRED < obligatory military service> also : so commonplace as to be a convention, fashion, or cliché <the obligatory death scene in opera>
4 : OBLIGATE 1
– oblig · a · to · ri · ly \ ə - ˌ bli-g ə - ' to ̇ r- ə -l ē , ä- also ˌ ä-bli-g ə - \ adverb