facultative

fac·ul·ta·tive  (fkl-ttv)

adj.

1. Of or relating to a mental faculty.

2.

a. Capable of occurring or not occurring; contingent.

b. Not required or compulsory; optional.

3. Granting permission or authority.

4. Biology Capable of functioning under varying environmental conditions. Used of certain organisms, such as bacteria that can live with or without oxygen.

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facul·tative·ly adv.

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facultative [ˈfæk^əltətɪv]

adj

1. (Law) empowering but not compelling the doing of an act

2. (Philosophy) Philosophy that may or may not occur

3. (Business / Insurance) Insurance denoting a form of reinsurance in which the reinsurer has no obligation to accept a particular risk nor the insurer to reinsure, terms and conditions being negotiated for each reinsurance

4. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) Biology able to exist under more than one set of environmental conditions a facultative parasite can exist as a parasite or a saprotroph Compare obligate [4]

5. of or relating to a faculty

facultatively  adv

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facultative  (fkl-ttv)

Capable of existing under varying environmental conditions or by assuming various behaviors. Bacteria that are facultative aerobes can live in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. A facultative parasite can live independently of its usual host. Compare obligate.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	facultative - of or relating to the mental faculties
	2.	facultative - able to exist under more than one set of conditions; "a facultative parasite can exist as a parasite or a saprophyte" biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms obligate - restricted to a particular condition of life; "an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of oxygen"
	3.	facultative - granting a privilege or permission or power to do or not do something; "a facultative enactment" enabling - providing legal power or sanction; "an enabling resolution"; "enabling power"
	4.	facultative - not compulsory; "facultative courses in the sciences" optional - possible but not necessary; left to personal choice