Definition
In a way that is available as a choice but not required; at one's discretion.
Etymology
From Latin optionalis, from optio meaning 'choice, option', from optare meaning 'to choose, wish'. The root relates to choosing what one desires. The adverb form developed in English during the 19th century as formal and technical writing required more precise ways to indicate voluntary versus mandatory actions.
Kelly Says
The concept of 'optional' reflects a fundamentally modern democratic worldview where individuals have choices - something that would have been nearly incomprehensible to most humans throughout history who lived under rigid social hierarchies with few alternatives available to them.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እንደ አንድ አይነት
en-deh an-dit ay-net
ARالعربية
اختياريًا
ikh-tee-ya-ree-an
BNবাংলা
যদি চান
jo-di chaan
CACatalà
opcionalment
oh-psee-oh-nal-ment
CSČeština
volitelně
vo-li-tel-neh
DADansk
valgfrit
val-g-frit
DEDeutsch
optional
op-zee-oh-nal
ELΕλληνικά
προαιρετικά
pro-ay-re-ti-ka
ESEspañol
opcionalmente
op-see-oh-nal-men-teh
FAفارسی
اختیاری
akh-tee-ya-ree
FISuomi
vaihtoehtoisesti
vah-ee-toe-hto-se-lee
FRFrançais
optionnellement
op-see-oh-nel-man
GUGU
જો ઈચ્છો
jo ee-ch-ho
HAHA
id anan
ee-dan an-an
HEעברית
אופציונלי
oh-f-see-oh-nal-ee
HIहिन्दी
यदि चाहें
ya-di cha-hen
HUMagyar
opcionálisan
op-see-oh-nah-lee-san
IDBahasa Indonesia
opsional
op-see-oh-nal
ITItaliano
eventualmente
eh-ven-tu-al-men-teh
KO한국어
선택적으로
seon-taek-jeok-keoh
MRMR
जरुरी नाही
jar-oo-ree nah-hee
MSBahasa Melayu
opsional
op-see-oh-nal
MYမြန်မာ
လျှောက်လိုသည်
ly-shw-k-loh-toh-shee
NLNederlands
optioneel
op-see-oh-nel
NONorsk
valgfritt
val-g-fritt
PLPolski
opcjonalnie
op-sh-oh-nal-nee
PTPortuguês
opcionalmente
oh-psee-oh-nal-men-teh
RORomână
opțional
op-see-oh-nal
RUРусский
по желанию
pa-zhee-la-nyu
SVSvenska
valfritt
val-fritt
SWKiswahili
kwa hiari
kwa hee-ah-ree
TAதமிழ்
தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்ட
the-rnt-te-d-uk-kat
TEతెలుగు
కావలసిన
ka-va-la-seen
THไทย
ถ้าต้องการ
tah-d-ta-ng-korn
TLTL
kung gusto
kung goo-stoh
TRTürkçe
isteğe bağlı
is-teh-geh ba-ly
UKУкраїнська
за бажанням
za ba-zhan-nyam
URاردو
اگر چاہیں
agar cha-hain
VITiếng Việt
có thể
koh teh
ZUZU
ngokuthi
ngoh-koo-thee