Justificatory

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfəˌkeɪt(ə)ɹi/

Definitions

1. Serving to provide reasons or evidence that something is right, reasonable, or necessary
2. Offering support or reasoning that defends or explains the validity or necessity of an opinion, action, or policy
3. Serving to supply grounds that explain why something is appropriate or necessary

Etymology: "Justificatory" is built from the stem of "justify" plus the suffix "-atory," which forms adjectives meaning serving to or relating to a particular action. "Justify" came into English from Old French "justifier," which traces back to Late Latin "justificare," meaning to make right or to declare innocent. That Latin word combines "justus," meaning just or right, with "facere," meaning to make or do. The original idea was moral or legal: to make someone right in the eyes of the law or of God. Over time, the sense narrowed toward showing good reasons for a claim or action. A justificatory statement therefore does not simply describe what happened; it supplies the grounds that make the action defensible.

Synonyms: explanatory, defensive, vindicating, warranting, validating