consequent

American  

[kon-si-kwent, -kwuhnt] / ˈkɒn sɪˌkwɛnt, -kwənt /

adjective

1. following as an effect or result; resulting (often followed by on, upon, orto ).

   a fall in price consequent to a rise in production.

2. following as a logical conclusion.

   a consequent law.

3. following or progressing logically.

   consequent reasoning.

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noun

1. anything that follows upon something else, with or without a causal relationship.

2. Logic. the second member of a conditional proposition, as “Caesar was a great general” in “If Caesar conquered Gaul, he was a great general.”

3. Mathematics.

   1. the second term of a ratio.

   2. the second of two vectors in a dyad.

consequent British  

/ ˈkɒnsɪkwənt /

adjective

1. following as an effect or result

2. following as a logical conclusion or by rational argument

3. (of a river) flowing in the direction of the original slope of the land or dip of the strata

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noun

1. something that follows something else, esp as a result

2. logic the resultant clause in a conditional sentence

3. logic the fallacy of inferring the antecedent of a conditional sentence, given the truth of the conditional and its consequent, as if John is six feet tall, he's more than five feet: he's more than five feet so he's six feet

4. an obsolete term for denominator

Other Word Forms

• nonconsequent
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of consequent

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) < Latin consequent- (stem of consequēns, present participle of consequī to follow closely). See con-, sequent

Explanation

Something that happens as a result of something else can be described as consequent. Rapidly melting snow often causes consequent flooding, for example. A politician might talk about raising the minimum wage and consequent improvements in workers' lives — in other words, she believes the positive changes for workers would be a direct result of higher minimum pay. One thing would follow the other. You're most likely to come across the adjective consequent in formal speech or writing. The Latin root word is consequi, "to follow after."

Example Sentences

Consequent on the above, an utter disregard of the feelings and views of the natives.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

Consequent reductions in those species’ numbers can be invisible even to marine biologists, since the failure to reproduce doesn’t result in carcasses on beaches.

From The New Yorker • May 6, 2019

If a suspect stockpile is located, Consequent Management Assessment Teams consisting of about two dozen soldiers each would be directed to it.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Antecedent; the Consequent of the first of the makers; the Parallell; the Antecedent of the second of the makers, by the 32. e.

From The Way To Geometry by Bedwell, William

Consequent upon these considerations, an endeavour has been made in this work to distinguish between the two forms of beauty in the various arts, and the separate grades thereof.

From Art Principles With Special Reference to Painting Together with Notes on the Illusions Produced by the Painter by Govett, Ernest

Related Words

• ensuing
• indirect
• subsequent