/ kənˈdɪʃənl; NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective
1.
conditional (on / upon sth) depending on sth :
conditional approval / acceptance
Payment is conditional upon delivery of the goods (= if the goods are not delivered the money will not be paid)
He was found guilty and given a conditional discharge (= allowed to go free on particular conditions) .
a conditional offer (= that depends on particular conditions being met)
OPP unconditional
2.
[ only before noun ] ( grammar ) expressing sth that must happen or be true if another thing is to happen or be true :
a conditional sentence / clause
► con·di·tion·al·ly / -ʃənəli; NAmE / adverb :
The offer was made conditionally.
■ noun ( grammar )
1.
[ C ] a sentence or clause that begins with if or unless and expresses a condition
2.
the conditional [ sing. ] the form of a verb that expresses a conditional action, for example should in If I should die ... :
the present / past / perfect conditional
the first / second / third conditional
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French condicionel or late Latin condicionalis , from condicio(n-) agreement, from condicere agree upon, from con- with + dicere say.