Origin: Latin suffix -ory
Compulsory has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
Something that is compulsory or required.
"Attendance at the meeting was compulsory for all employees."
In plain English: There is no noun form of compulsory; it is only an adjective used to describe something that must be done or followed because it is required by law, rules, or authority.
"The compulsory for his new job was attending safety training every month."
required by rule
"in most schools physical education is compulsory"
"attendance is mandatory"
"required reading"
Required; obligatory; mandatory.
"Attendance at the safety training session is compulsory for all new employees."
In plain English: Compulsory means something you are required to do by law or rule and have no choice but to follow it.
"Attendance at school is compulsory for all children in our country."
Usage: Use compulsory to describe rules, laws, or activities that must be followed by everyone in a specific group, such as school attendance or military service. Do not confuse it with voluntary, which describes actions chosen freely without obligation.
The word compulsory comes from the Late Latin term compulsorius, which was borrowed to replace an earlier Old English phrase meaning "lawful" or "necessary." It originally described something forced upon someone, reflecting its root in the verb for being pressed together or compelled by force.