Contextual

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or dependent on the circumstances or setting in which something occurs
2. Pertaining to the circumstances or settings influencing the meaning of an event or communication
3. Connected to or influenced by the conditions or situation surrounding an event or statement

Etymology: "Contextual" is a plain formation: the noun "context," from Latin "contextus" (a joining or weaving together, from "contexere," to weave together), plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ual." That suffix comes down through Latin "-uālis," itself built on "-ālis," a common adjective ending used to turn nouns into adjectives. The result describes things that relate to a surrounding setting or circumstances. The core idea is still visible in the word's roots: "context" literally refers to the way words are woven together, and the sense of surrounding material gave rise to the broader meaning of surrounding conditions. "Contextual" carries that extended sense, describing how something depends on its setting.

Synonyms: situational, circumstantial, relative, environmental, conditional

Antonyms: absolute, unrelated, independent, isolated, unconditional