consequent adj : following as an effect or result; "the period of tension and consequent need for military preparedness"; "the ensuant response to his appeal"; "the resultant savings were considerable"; "the health of the plants and the resulting flowers" [syn: ensuant, resultant, resulting(a), sequent]

English

Etymology

• From consequens, consequentis, present participle of consequi "to follow"; con- + sequi "to follow". Compare French conséquent.

Adjective

1. Following as a result, inference, or natural effect.
2. Of or pertaining to consequences.

   His retirement and consequent spare time enabled him to travel more.

References

• Webster 1913

Related terms

• subsequent

A consequent is the second half of a hypothetical proposition. In the standard form of such a proposition, it is the part that follows "then".

Examples:

• If P, then Q.

Q is the consequent of this hypothetical proposition.

• If X is a mammal, then X is an animal.

Here, "X is an animal" is the consequent.

• If computers can think, then they are alive.

"They are alive" is the consequent.

The consequent in a hypothetical proposition is not necessarily a consequence of the antecedent.

• If monkeys are purple, then fish speak Klingon.

"Fish speak Klingon" is the consequent here, but clearly is not a consequence of (nor has anything to do with) the claim made in the antecedent that "monkeys are purple".

See also

• Antecedent

appendant, consequential, derivational, derivative, ensuing, final, following, intelligent, logical, next, posterior, postpositional, postpositive, proximate, reasonable, resultant, resulting, sensible, sequacious, sequent, sequential, sound, subsequent, succeeding, successive, suffixed