enˈtailment: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Academic, Technical
Quick answer
What does “enˈtailment” mean?
Something that is necessarily involved or required as a consequence, condition, or logical result.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Something that is necessarily involved or required as a consequence, condition, or logical result.
In formal logic, the relationship between two statements where the truth of the first guarantees the truth of the second.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
In both varieties, it is a formal term with strong connotations of necessity and logical deduction. It is more common in academic and legal registers.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British academic writing, particularly in law and traditional philosophy departments, but the difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “enˈtailment” in a Sentence
the entailment of X by Ythe entailment that San entailment between X and YVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “enˈtailment” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new regulations will entail significant administrative costs.
- Does the theory entail that time is infinite?
American English
- The job entails frequent travel to the West Coast.
- His argument entails a contradiction.
adjective
British English
- The entailment relationship between the two propositions was rigorously proven.
- This is an entailment condition, not a mere possibility.
American English
- We studied the entailment properties of different logical operators.
- The document outlined the entailment obligations for all parties.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Occasionally used in formal contracts or risk analysis: 'The deal's entailment was a long-term service commitment.'
Academic
Very common, especially in philosophy, logic, linguistics, and law. Core technical term for logical relationships.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would be replaced by 'consequence' or 'result'.
Technical
The primary domain. Precisely defines a relationship where a set of premises guarantees a conclusion.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “enˈtailment”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “enˈtailment”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “enˈtailment”
- Using 'entailment' as a synonym for 'involvement' in casual contexts.
- Pronouncing it as /ˈɛn.teɪl.mənt/ (stress on first syllable).
- Confusing 'A entails B' with 'A causes B'. Entailment is about logical truth, not physical causation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In everyday language, they are similar. In formal logic, 'implication' (→) is a connective within a logical language, while 'entailment' (⊨) is a relationship *between* statements in that language. 'P entails Q' means that in every situation where P is true, Q is also true.
It would sound very formal and possibly pretentious. In casual speech, use 'consequence', 'result', 'means', or 'involves' instead (e.g., 'The plan involves a lot of work').
The verb is 'to entail'. Example: 'Success in this field entails years of dedicated study.'
Both are logical relationships. If A entails B, then if A is true, B must be true, and if B is false, A must be false. If A presupposes B, then B must be true *for A to even have a truth value* (be true or false). For example, 'The King of France is bald' presupposes there is a King of France.
Something that is necessarily involved or required as a consequence, condition, or logical result.
Enˈtailment is usually formal, academic, technical in register.
Enˈtailment: in British English it is pronounced /ɪnˈteɪl.mənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɛnˈteɪl.mənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TAIL being pulled. If you pull the dog (the premise), the TAIL (the entailment) necessarily comes with it.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE CONNECTIONS (a chain, a thread, a path that must be followed).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'entailment' used with the MOST technical precision?