Word
statutory
Phoneticsstatu·to·ry
US/ˈstætʃəˌtɔɹi/
UK/stˈætʃuːtəɹˌi/
Definition
adj. decided or controlled by a formal law. You use this to describe rights, rules, or duties that are written in legal documents rather than just being a habit.
adj. required, permitted, or enacted by statute; relating to rules established by legislative enactment rather than common law. Often used to distinguish formal legal requirements from contractual or customary ones.
Examples
“All employees are entitled to a statutory minimum wage.”
“The company has a statutory obligation to provide a safe working environment for all its staff members.”
“While the internal policy suggests a two-week notice period, the statutory requirement remains the primary legal benchmark for resolving disputes regarding termination of employment.”
Examples
simple
“All employees are entitled to a statutory minimum wage.”
contextual
“The company has a statutory obligation to provide a safe working environment for all its staff members.”
complex
“While the internal policy suggests a two-week notice period, the statutory requirement remains the primary legal benchmark for resolving disputes regarding termination of employment.”
Usage
Typically precedes the noun it modifies; frequently collocates with 'duty', 'obligation', 'requirement', or 'rights'.
Real-World Examples
“In line with its statutory remit, Fiosrú’s investigation relates to incidents involving contact with gardaí where a member of the public has died or been seriously injured.” “Cawthorne has now called on the current site owners, Telford and Wrekin Council, to order a full fresh statutory investigation into the former landfill site near Coalbrookdale.” Etymology
From statute + -ory.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/statutory