imposing, containing, subject to, or depending on a condition or conditions; not absolute; made or allowed on certain terms:
conditional acceptance.
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.
(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.
(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.
(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.”.
a sentence, clause, or word expressing a condition.
Origin
1350-1400;Middle Englishcondicionel < Anglo-French,Middle French < Late Latincondiciōnālis, equivalent to condiciōn- (stem of condiciō) condition + -ālis-al1
Related forms
conditionality, noun
conditionally, adverb
nonconditional, adjective
Synonyms
1. dependent, contingent, relative.
Examples from the web for conditional
conditional probabilities change as conditions change.
But even here, value is highly subjective and conditional.
conditional cash transfers are a convergence point in two different evolutions in understanding and combating poverty.
Rather, it is a conditional increase the actual amount of which depends on the measured values of other variables in the model.
All the gifts to colleges are what is known as conditional and are applied to endowment only.
Now, a leading marketer of life insurance is using a colossal-size version of the conditional.
He can receive a one-year conditional discharge and avoid jail if he stays out of trouble.
But it was probably also conditional on his avoiding political songs in the run up to the election.
Eustace's contributions only on a conditional basis.
All manner of benefits have become conditional on a clean drugs record.
British Dictionary definitions for conditional
conditional
/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.
(of an equation or inequality) true for only certain values of the variable: x² –1 = x + 1 is a conditional equation, only true for x = 2 or –1
(of an infinite series) divergent when the absolute values of the terms are considered
4.
(logic) Also hypothetical. (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
noun
5.
(grammar)
a conditional form of a verb
a conditional clause or sentence
6.
(logic) a conditional proposition
Derived Forms
conditionality, noun conditionally, adverb
Word Origin and History for conditional
adj.
late 14c., condicionel, from Old French condicionel (Modern French conditionnel), from Latin conditionalis, from condicionem (see condition (n.)). Related: Conditionally.