What does statutory mean?
Statutory is an adjective meaning relating to a statute—a law formally enacted by a legislature or other recognized lawmaking body. It describes rules, requirements, powers, frameworks, and provisions that derive their authority from such legislation. For example, a statutory requirement is a duty imposed by law, while a statutory power is authority granted or limited by an enacted law. The word belongs mainly to legal, governmental, and regulatory language and sounds more formal and precise than a general expression such as “required by law.” That precision matters because not every binding rule is a statute: administrative regulations, for instance, may be issued under powers granted by a statute. Statutory therefore signals a direct connection to legislated law, whether the subject is planning, employment, finance, public safety, or the powers of an institution. Its usefulness lies in this legal specificity, although outside formal contexts it can sometimes sound unnecessarily technical.
adjectiveRelating to a statute; enacted, required, or otherwise having legal force under a law passed by a legislature.
- Enacted, prescribed, or having legal force under a statute.
- Relating to statutes or to the body of laws made by a legislature.
"The company must obtain statutory approval before beginning construction."
"The new building must comply with stringent statutory safety requirements."
"The committee questioned whether the agency had exceeded its statutory powers."
Statutory is legal shorthand for “the law says so”—but it refers specifically to statutes, not necessarily to every legally binding rule.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does statutory come from?
English statutory was formed in the early 17th century from statute and the suffix -ory, with Latin statutorius, meaning “pertaining to a statute,” serving as a model. Statute entered English through Old French statut from Latin statutum, an ordinance or decree derived from statuere, “set up” or “establish.” Related words such as constitutional and status belong to the same broader Latin root family associated with standing or establishing. The development therefore moves from the idea of something formally set up to the modern English distinction between a statute as a law and statutory as an adjective describing its force or scope.
Related word forms
How statutory is actually used
This is primarily a formal legal term. It is especially common in legislation, regulation, contracts, and official documents. It does not mean “lawful” in every context, since a law or rule may be valid without being statutory.
Easily confused with statutory
A statute is the law itself, while statutory is the adjective describing something relating to or prescribed by a statute.