What does conditional mean?
The adjective 'conditional' describes something that is not absolute but depends on certain conditions being satisfied. A conditional offer of employment, for example, becomes firm only once specified requirements—such as references or a background check—are met. Beyond this everyday sense, 'conditional' has an important technical life in grammar and logic, where a conditional clause or statement links a possible situation ('if') to its consequence ('then'). This dual role makes the word valuable across law, education, computing, and philosophy, since so much human agreement and reasoning rests not on certainties but on contingencies: things that will hold true only if something else holds true first. Its opposite, 'unconditional', signals total commitment with no strings attached, which is precisely why 'conditional' carries a slightly cautious, provisional connotation—it implies reservation, evaluation, or a threshold yet to be crossed. Derived from Latin roots relating to agreement and terms, it remains one of the most practically useful words for describing negotiated, qualified, or dependent states of affairs.
Subject to or dependent on one or more conditions; granted, valid, or true only if specified requirements are met.
"He received only conditional support from the committee until his results could be verified."
Frequently followed by 'on' or 'upon' to introduce the requirement.
A conditional clause or statement in grammar or logic; also, in linguistics, the conditional mood.
"Students often struggle with the subjunctive when learning to construct conditionals in Spanish."
Usually pluralized as 'conditionals' when referring to such clauses or verb forms collectively.
Used only for the noun sense referring to grammatical or logical conditional statements/clauses.
"The textbook devotes three chapters to forming conditionals correctly."
In logic and grammar, a conditional is the engine of every 'if': it's the word that powers everything from computer code to promises like 'I'll come if I can.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of conditional
'Conditional' comes from the Latin 'condicio' (agreement, terms, condition), via Late Latin 'condicionalis'. It entered English in the late 16th century, initially prominent in theology and law before extending into grammar and logic. Cognates include French 'conditionnel' and Italian 'condizionale', both also used as names for grammatical moods.
Related word forms
How conditional is actually used
As an adjective, 'conditional' is typically formal to neutral in register, common in legal, academic, and administrative contexts. The phrase 'conditional on' is standard British usage; American English often uses 'conditioned upon' or 'subject to' in legal writing, though 'conditional on/upon' is also well attested in the US.
Easily confused with conditional
Unconditional means without any requirements or limitations, while conditional means dependent on specified conditions being met.