con|tin|gency

con|tin|gency «kuhn TIHN juhn see», noun, plural -cies.

1. a happening or event depending on something that is uncertain; possibility: »

The explorer carried supplies for every contingency.

2. an accidental happening; uncertain event; chance: »

Football players seldom think of injury as a contingency while they are playing.

3. uncertainty of occurrence; dependence on chance.

4. Philosophy. a) the mode of existence, or of coming to pass, which does not involve necessity. b) a happening by chance or free will.

5. something incidental to something else.