con ‧ tin ‧ gen ‧ cy /kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ BrE AmE noun ( plural contingencies ) [countable]
1 . an event or situation that might happen in the future, especially one that could cause problems:
a contingency plan
Add up your outgoings, putting on a bit more for contingencies.
2 . contingency fee an amount of money that a lawyer in the US will be paid only if the person they are advising wins in court