I. kənˈtinjənt adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin contingent-, contingens, present participle of contingere to touch on all sides, happen, from com- + -tingere (from tangere to touch) — more at tangent
1. obsolete : in contact : touching
2. : of possible occurrence : likely but not certain to happen
a bogey's alarum of contingent grave results — George Meredith
3.
a. : happening by chance : affected by unforeseen causes or conditions : not patently necessary : unpredictable in occurrence or outcome
a contingent event
floods contingent and unexpected
b. : intended for use in exigent circumstances not completely foreseen
c. : unpredictable in outcome or effect because happening by chance and modified by unseen causes and unforeseen conditions
speaks so scornfully of the contingent and tentative character of scientific knowledge — Sidney Hook
4.
a. : dependent on, associated with, or conditioned by something else, sometimes indirectly or remotely
the continuance of the latter is wholly contingent on the presence of the former — C.H.Grandgent
b. : dependent for effect on or liable to modification by something that may or may not occur
a contingent estate
a contingent legacy
5. logic
a. : not necessary : not true a priori
b. of a proposition : capable of being proved true or false only by experience : empirical , factual
6. : not necessitated : free — used of human volition, action, or existence
Synonyms: see accidental
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from contingent (I) ; in other senses from French, from contingent, adjective
1.
a. : something that is contingent : contingency
b. : a chance occurrence : accident
c. : an extra salesperson who is available on call
2. : a quota (as one's part in a general contribution): as
a. : a number of personnel supplied to the armed forces from a section
the Ohio contingent in the army
b. : the military forces supplied by one combatant in an allied effort
the British contingent in the Low Countries campaign
3.
a. : a representational group
the French contingent of Olympic athletes
b. : any group distinguished from the other members of an assemblage or organization
the Democratic contingent at the conference