conditional

American  

[kuhn-dish-uh-nl] / kənˈdɪʃ ə nl /

adjective

1. imposing, containing, subject to, or depending on a condition or conditions; not absolute; made or allowed on certain terms.

   conditional acceptance.

   Synonyms:

   relative, contingent, dependent

2. Grammar. (of a sentence, clause, mood, or word) involving or expressing a condition, as the first clause in the sentence If it rains, he won't go.

3. Logic.

   1. (of a proposition) asserting that the existence or occurrence of one thing or event depends on the existence or occurrence of another thing or event; hypothetical.

   2. (of a syllogism) containing at least one conditional proposition as a premise.

4. Mathematics. (of an inequality) true for only certain values of the variable, as x + 3 > 0 is only true for real numbers greater than −3.

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noun

1. Grammar.

   1. (in some languages) a mood, tense, or other category used in expressing conditions, often corresponding to an English verb phrase beginning with would, as Spanish comería “he would eat.”

   2. a sentence, clause, or word expressing a condition.

conditional British  

/ kənˈdɪʃənəl /

adjective

1. depending on other factors; not certain

2. grammar (of a clause, conjunction, form of a verb, or whole sentence) expressing a condition on which something else is contingent: " If he comes " is a conditional clause in the sentence " If he comes I shall go "

3. 1. (of an equation or inequality) true for only certain values of the variable: x ² –1 = x + 1 is a conditional equation, only true for x = 2 or –1

   2. (of an infinite series) divergent when the absolute values of the terms are considered

4. Also: hypothetical.  logic (of a proposition) consisting of two component propositions associated by the words if…then so that the proposition is false only when the antecedent is true and the consequent false. Usually written: p → q or p ⊃ q, where p is the antecedent, q the consequent, and → or ⊃ symbolizes implies

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noun

1. grammar

   1. a conditional form of a verb

   2. a conditional clause or sentence

2. logic a conditional proposition

Other Word Forms

• conditionality noun
• conditionally adverb
• nonconditional adjective

Etymology

Origin of conditional

1350–1400; Middle English condicionel < Anglo-French, Middle French < Late Latin condiciōnālis, equivalent to condiciōn- (stem of condiciō ) condition + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

The full stock award is conditional on a rise in AMD’s share price.

From The Wall Street Journal

They have been granted conditional bail and put into local authority care, Northamptonshire Police added.

From BBC

Planning officers have recommended that councillors grant conditional planning permission, saying the cultural, social and economic benefits of the festival series carry significant weight and outweigh any potential heritage harm.

From BBC

Two men, aged 33 and 42, who were earlier arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, have since been released on conditional bail.

From BBC

The bishop has been released on conditional bail.

From BBC

Related Words

• limited
• provisional
• restrictive
• tentative