"of or pertaining to a situation or situations," 1903, from situation + -al. Related: Situationally. In situational ethics (attested from 1969; situation ethics is by 1955) the notion is "determined by or in relation to circumstances."
Entries linking to situational
situation n.
early 15c., situacioun, "place, position, or location," from Old French situacion or directly from Medieval Latin situationem (nominative situatio) "a position, situation," noun of action from past-participle stem of situare "to place, locate," from Latin situs "a place, position" (from PIE root *tkei- "to settle, dwell, be home").
The meaning "state of affairs, position with reference to circumstances" is from 1710; the meaning "employment, post, office" is by 1803. For situation comedy, see sitcom.
-al 1
suffix forming adjectives from nouns or other adjectives, "of, like, related to, pertaining to," Middle English -al, -el, from French or directly from Latin -alis (see -al (2)).
