Wordnet 3.0
ADJECTIVE (1)
1.
possible but not necessary;
left to personal choice;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Optional \Op"tion*al\, a.
Involving an option; depending on the exercise of an option;
left to one's discretion or choice; allowed but not
compulsory; as, optional studies; it is optional with you to
go or stay. -- n. See Elective, n.
[1913 Webster]
If to the former the movement was not optional, it was
the same that the latter chose when it was optional.
--Palfrey.
[1913 Webster]
Original writs are either optional or peremptory.
--Blackstone.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
optional
adj 1: possible but not necessary; left to personal choice [ant:
obligatory]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
38 Moby Thesaurus words for "optional":
alternative, arbitrary, autonomous, discretional, discretionary,
disjunctive, elective, free, free will, gratuitous, independent,
nonmandatory, offered, proffered, self-acting, self-active,
self-determined, self-determining, spontaneous, unasked,
unbesought, unbidden, uncalled-for, uncoerced, uncompelled,
unforced, uninfluenced, uninvited, unpressured, unprompted,
unrequested, unrequired, unsolicited, unsought, volitional,
voluntary, volunteer, willful