dependent for existence, occurrence, character, etc., on something not yet certain; conditional (often followed by on or upon): Our plans are contingent on the weather.
liable to happen or not; uncertain; possible: They had to plan for contingent expenses.
happening by chance or without known cause; fortuitous; accidental: contingent occurrences.
Logic. (of a proposition) neither logically necessary nor logically impossible, so that its truth or falsity can be established only by sensory observation.
noun
a quota of troops furnished.
any one of the representative groups composing an assemblage: the New York contingent at a national convention.
the proportion that falls to one as a share to be contributed or furnished.
something contingent; contingency.
Origin of contingent
1350–1400; late Middle English (present participle) (<Middle French ) <Latin contingent- (stem of contingēns, present participle of contingere), equivalent to con-con- + ting-, variant stem of tangere to touch + -ent--ent