Contingent
Etymology
From Latin “contingere,” to touch, to befall, from “com-” (together) and “tangere,” to touch. It named things that merely happen to touch us — chance events. In philosophy it hardened into the opposite of “necessary”: a contingent truth is one that did not have to be so.
adjective · /kuhn-TIN-juhnt/
True or occurring only if some other thing is the case; conditional or dependent.
What it names
Dependency and chance together — a fact that could have been otherwise, hanging on a condition outside itself.
Example
The bonus is contingent on the deal actually closing, not just being signed.
Related idea
A contingent thing depends on a condition; a provisional thing is just a temporary stand-in. Contingency is about what must hold; provisionality is about how long it lasts.
noun · /kuhn-TIN-juhnt/
A group forming part of a larger body, especially a detachment of troops or a delegation.
What it names
a subgroup drawn or sent from a larger whole
Example
A large contingent of volunteers arrived from the neighbouring town.
Related idea
Quite distinct from the adjective — here it is simply a portion of a group, not something conditional. The vanguard of an army is its foremost contingent.
See also