What does "contingency" mean?
Contingency: The quality or state of being contingent or casual; the possibility of coming to pass. Aristotle says we are not to build certain rules on the contingency of human actions. South.
Additional senses
- 2.An event which may or may not occur; that which is possible or probable; a fortuitous event; a chance. The remarkable position of the queen rendering her death a most important contingency. Hallam.
- 3.An adjunct or accessory. Wordsworth.
- 4.(Law) A certain possible event that may or may not happen, by which, when happening, some particular title may be affected.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00