Contingent definition
Liable but not certain to occur; possible.
adjective
Dependent on other conditions or circumstances; conditional.
Arms sales contingent on the approval of Congress.
adjective
(logic) True only under certain conditions; not necessarily or universally true.
A contingent proposition.
adjective
(obs.) Touching; tangential.
adjective
That may or may not happen; possible.
adjective
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Unpredictable because dependent on chance.
adjective
Dependent (on or upon something uncertain); conditional.
adjective
(philos.) Not subject to determinism; free.
adjective
Happening by or subject to chance or accident; unpredictable.
Contingent developments that jeopardized the negotiations.
adjective
Happening by chance; accidental; fortuitous.
adjective
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(logic) True only under certain conditions or in certain contexts; not always or necessarily true.
adjective
(now rare) An accidental or chance happening.
noun
A share or quota, as of troops, laborers, delegates, etc.
noun
A group forming part of a larger group.
noun
The definition of contingent is something that depends on something else happening, or something that is possible or by chance.
An example of contingent is the sale of one home going through after the buyer's house is sold; a contingent sale.
adjective
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A contingent is defined as a condition that needs to be met in order for something else to happen.
An example of a contingent is a clear termite inspection needed in order for a home sale to close escrow.
noun
An event or condition that is likely but not inevitable.
noun
A group or detachment, as of troops or police, assigned to aid a larger force.
noun
A representative group that is selected from or part of a larger group.
noun
Dependent upon a future event or circumstance that is not certain to happen. See also vested.
adjective
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An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency.
noun
That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a suitable share; proportion;
noun
The success of his undertaking is contingent upon events which he can not control.
adjective
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Dependent on something that may or may not occur.
A contingent estate.
adjective
Possible, but not certain to happen.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
contingent
Plural:
contingentsOrigin of contingent
- Middle English from Latin contingēns contingent- present participle of contingere to touch contact
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Old French contingent, from Medieval Latin contingens (“possible, contingent”), properly present participle of Latin contingere (“to touch, meet, attain to, happen”), from com- (“together”) + tangere (“to touch”).
From Wiktionary