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Conditional vs Biconditional - What's the difference?

conditional | biconditional |

In lang=en terms the difference between conditional and biconditional

is that conditional is stating that one sentence is true if another is while biconditional is an "if and only if" conditional wherein the truth of each term depends on the truth of the other.

As nouns the difference between conditional and biconditional

is that conditional is a conditional sentence; a statement that depends on a condition being true or false while biconditional is an "if and only if" conditional wherein the truth of each term depends on the truth of the other.

As adjectives the difference between conditional and biconditional

is that conditional is limited by a condition while biconditional is having two conditions.

conditional

English

Alternative forms

* conditionall (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (grammar) A conditional sentence; a statement that depends on a condition being true or false.
  • (grammar) The conditional mood.
  • (logic) A statement that one sentence is true if another is.
  • "A implies B" is a conditional .
  • * L. H. Atwater
  • Disjunctives may be turned into conditionals .
  • (computing, programming) An instruction that branches depending on the truth of a condition at that point.
  • if and while are conditionals in some programming languages.
  • (obsolete) A limitation.
  • (Francis Bacon)

    Synonyms

    * (in logic) if-then statement; material conditional

    Meronyms

    * (in logic) antecedent * (in logic) consequent

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Limited by a condition.
  • I made my son a conditional promise: I would buy him a bike if he kept his room tidy.
  • * Bishop Warburton
  • Every covenant of God with man may justly be made (as in fact it is made) with this conditional punishment annexed and declared.
  • (logic) Stating that one sentence is true if another is.
  • "A implies B" is a conditional statement.
  • * Whately
  • A conditional proposition is one which asserts the dependence of one categorical proposition on another.
  • (grammar) Expressing a condition or supposition.
  • a conditional word, mode, or tense

    Synonyms

    * conditioned * relative * limited * (in logic) hypothetical

    Antonyms

    * absolute * categorical * unconditional

    Derived terms

    * conditional entropy * conditional probability * conditional proof * conditional sentence

    biconditional

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Having two conditions
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (logic) An "if and only if" conditional wherein the truth of each term depends on the truth of the other
  • * {{quote-journal, 2008, date=January 3, Anand Vaidya, Modal Rationalism and Modal Monism, Erkenntnis, url=, doi=10.1007/s10670-007-9093-7, volume=68, issue=2, pages=
  • , passage=Although (MR) is discussed here as simply (CP ), in actuality (MR) is a biconditional of which one part is (CP ). }}