Facultative
Adjective
- Occurring optionally in response to circumstances rather than by nature.
- Capable of but not restricted to a particular function or mode of life. Often contrasted with “obligate.”
Example Sentences
“The company’s facultative work-from-home policy allows employees to choose their preferred work environment.”
“Certain bird species practice facultative migration, only traveling south when winter conditions become too harsh for survival.”
“The desert plant’s facultative blooming occurs only after rare rainfall events.”
Word Origin
French, early 19th century
Why this word?
“Facultative” is related to several other English, French, and Latin words that have to do with the ability to do something, or the authority to make decisions — they all stem from the Latin root “facere,” meaning “make, do.” In biology, “facultative” is used to describe instances in the animal or plant kingdom where a species is able to choose between two behaviors or traits. For example, facultative bipedalism is the ability of an animal to travel on either two legs or four. The contrasting descriptor is “obligate,” meaning a species is required to function in a certain capacity.
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