What does moratory mean?
Moratory means delaying or postponing action, often for a limited period. Its use is especially associated with legal language, where a moratory injunction temporarily restrains proceedings or prevents a specified action until circumstances change. A moratory measure may therefore allow a dispute to be resolved, a decision to be reconsidered, or an institution to pause a procedure. The word has a formal, narrowly focused character and is uncommon in everyday speech. It should not be confused with mandatory, which requires an action to be taken. Moratory comes from the Latin root associated with delay and is related to the more familiar noun moratorium, denoting a formal suspension of an activity.
adjectiveDelaying or intended to postpone action. It is most often used in legal contexts to describe a measure that temporarily suspends or restrains proceedings.
- Serving to delay, postpone, or suspend action.
"The court issued a moratory injunction, preventing the sale of the property until the dispute had been resolved."
"The committee proposed a moratory period during which no new licenses would be issued."
"Her statement had a moratory effect on negotiations, allowing both sides to reconsider their positions."
A moratory injunction acts like a legal brake: it keeps matters in place while the clock—and the dispute—remain suspended.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does moratory come from?
Moratory was formed in the early 17th century from the Latin moratorius, meaning “of or relating to delay.” Its source is morari, “to delay,” which is also ancestral to the English borrowing mora and the derivative moratorium. The adjective originally had legal associations before acquiring broader formal use for measures that postpone or suspend action.
Related word forms
How moratory is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon word, especially associated with law and institutional procedure. It is more often encountered in phrases such as “moratory injunction” than used in everyday conversation.
Easily confused with moratory
A moratory measure delays or suspends action, whereas a mandatory requirement compels compliance.
Moratory describes something that causes delay, while a moratorium is a formal pause or suspension of an activity.