Prefecatory

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Expressing a wish, prayer, or earnest request, often in a formal or solemn manner
2. Phrased as a prayer or invocation, conveying a heartfelt desire or supplication
3. Containing language that appeals to or entreats, as though making a sincere petition or vow

Etymology: "Prefecatory" isn't a standard English word. The term you probably mean is "precatory," meaning expressing a wish or request rather than a command. It comes from Latin "precari," "to pray" or "to beg," which grew from "prex," a prayer or entreaty. English likely adopted the adjective in the 17th century, keeping its sense of pleading. The legal use is the most striking. In wills, precatory wording is language such as "I hope my executor will look after my sister," which expresses a wish instead of a binding instruction. Courts have had to decide whether such phrasing creates an enforceable trust or only a hope, so a word rooted in praying now matters in inheritance disputes.