contingency C2+ Topic:Time US /kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ UK /kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun a future event that is possible but not certain; a provision for such The budget set aside funds for any unforeseen contingency. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a future event that is... possibilityeventualityemergencychanceuncertaintyexigencyfortuity ↔ Opposites certaintynecessityinevitability Word family Related forms contingentcontactcontiguous Etymology AI details From Medieval Latin contingentia ('a touching, chance occurrence'), from Latin contingere ('to touch, befall'), from con- ('together') + tangere ('to touch'). contingentia Latin tangere Latin *tag- Proto-Indo-European View etymology graph -> Topics Time Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # contingency **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ **IPA (UK):** /kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ ## Meanings 1. a future event that is possible but not certain; a provision for such ## Examples - The budget set aside funds for any unforeseen contingency. ## Synonyms - possibility - eventuality - emergency - chance - uncertainty - exigency - fortuity ## Antonyms - certainty - necessity - inevitability ## Related Forms - contingent - contact - contiguous ## Roots and Affixes - Root: contingentia - Root: tangere - Root: *tag- ## Etymology From Medieval Latin contingentia ('a touching, chance occurrence'), from Latin contingere ('to touch, befall'), from con- ('together') + tangere ('to touch'). ## AI Etymology Contingency is from Medieval Latin contingentia ('a touching, chance occurrence'), from Latin contingere ('to touch, befall'), from con- ('together') + tangere ('to touch'). In present-day use, it means a future event that is possible but not certain; a provision for such. Related vocabulary includes contingent, contact, and contiguous. ## Topics - Time - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown