fac·ul·ta·tive (f k  l-t  t v)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. fac ul·tative·ly adv. |
facultative [ˈfækəltətɪv]
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
| 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. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| 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 |
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