Expressing or containing condemnation; tending to damn or pronounce judgment against someone.
From 'damn' with the Latin suffix -atory (tending to, relating to). This formal adjective suggests something that condemns or passes judgment.
Words ending in -atory (like 'inflammatory,' 'laudatory,' 'oratory') often carry weight and formality—they're the language of judgment, praise, or serious discourse, which is why you hear them in courtrooms and sermons.
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