FACULTATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does facultative mean? 

• FACULTATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective FACULTATIVE has 4 senses:

1. of or relating to the mental faculties

2. able to exist under more than one set of conditions

3. granting a privilege or permission or power to do or not do something

4. not compulsory

  Familiarity information: FACULTATIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FACULTATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to the mental faculties

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Pertainym:

faculty (one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Able to exist under more than one set of conditions

Context example:

a facultative parasite can exist as a parasite or a saprophyte

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Antonym:

obligate (restricted to a particular condition of life)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Granting a privilege or permission or power to do or not do something

Context example:

a facultative enactment

Similar:

enabling (providing legal power or sanction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Not compulsory

Synonyms:

elective; facultative

Context example:

an elective course of study

Similar:

optional (possible but not necessary; left to personal choice)

 Context examples 

A genus of Gram-positive facultative anaerobic or microaerophilic bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes.

(Lactobacillus, NCI Thesaurus)

A genus of Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, lactic acid bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes.

(Enterococcus, NCI Thesaurus)

A species of facultative anaerobic, gram-positive, cocci shaped bacteria assigned to the phylum Firmicutes.

(Granulicatella elegans, NCI Thesaurus)

A genus of Gram-negative, motile, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria with peritrichous flagella in the phylum Proteobacteria.

(Enterobacter, NCI Thesaurus)

A genus of non-motile rod-shaped, obligately aerobic, facultative methylotrophs in the phylum Proteobacteria.

(Methylobacterium, NCI Thesaurus)

A recombinant Listeria-based cancer vaccine containing a live-attenuated strain of the facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) expressing human mesothelin with potential immunostimulatory and antineoplastic activities.

(Live-Attenuated Listeria Encoding Human Mesothelin Vaccine CRS-207, NCI Thesaurus)

A genus of bacteria within the phylum Firmicutes consisting of gram-positive bacilli that are either obligate or facultative aerobes, and test positive for the enzyme catalase.

(Bacillus, NCI Thesaurus)