contingent
kun-TIN-juhnt
/kənˈtɪndʒənt/
Subject to chance or dependent on uncertain future conditions; non-permanent labor hired for specific needs.
In human resources, 'contingent labor' means workers retained on a demand-driven, non-permanent basis.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'contingere' meaning 'to touch closely' or 'to happen by chance'. It evolved in scholastic philosophy to describe events that could either happen or not happen, depending on touching circumstances.
Word relationships
- conditional: Conditional implies contractual terms, whereas contingent stresses dependence on unpredictable future events.
- provisional: Provisional implies a temporary arrangement set to be replaced later.
- unconditional: Not subject to any conditions or future chance events.
- permanent: Intended to remain unchanged indefinitely.
Commonly confused with
- precarious: Contingent describes the conditional nature of the contract; precarious describes the financial insecurity it produces.
Word family
- contingency (noun): A future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.
- contingently (adverb): In a contingent manner.
Collocations
- contingent workforce
- contingent liability
- contingent upon
- contingent worker
Example sentences
- "The tech firm scales its contingent workforce during major product launches to avoid long-term payroll commitments." Corporate Strategy
- "Payment remains contingent upon successful delivery and testing of the custom software code." Legal Agreement
Memory hook
CONTINGENT work depends on CON-TANGENT factors touching each other at the right moment. Contingent = touching upon conditions.
When not to use
Do not use to describe permanent full-time core staff.
Fun facts
- In corporate law, a 'contingency fee' means the lawyer gets paid only if the client wins the case.
Related words
Explore more words
contingency, provisional, aleatory, stochastic, fortuitous, occasional
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