different between contingency vs circumstance

English

Etymology

contingent +? -cy (16th century).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?t?nd??nsi/

Noun

contingency (countable and uncountable, plural contingencies)

1. (uncountable) The quality of being contingent, of happening by chance; unpredictability. [1560s]
2. (countable) A possibility; something which may or may not happen. A chance occurrence, especially in finance, unexpected expenses. [1610s]
3. (finance, countable) An amount of money which a party to a contract has to pay to the other party (usually the supplier of a major project to the client) if he or she does not fulfill the contract according to the specification.
4. (logic, countable) A statement which is neither a tautology nor a contradiction.

Synonyms

• (quality of happening by chance): possibility
• See also Thesaurus:option

Antonyms

• (quality of happening by chance): inevitability, impossibility

Coordinate terms

• (statement which is neither a tautology nor a contradiction): contradiction, tautology

Derived terms

• contingency plan

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• circumstaunce (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English circumstaunce, from Old French circonstance, from Latin circumstantia

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /?s??k?mst(?)ns/, /-??ns/, /-æns/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s?.k?m.?stæns/
• Hyphenation: cir?cum?stance

Noun

circumstance (countable and uncountable, plural circumstances)

1. Something which is related to, or in some way affects, a fact or event.
2. An event; a fact; a particular incident.
3. Circumlocution; detail.
4. Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

circumstance (third-person singular simple present circumstances, present participle circumstancing, simple past and past participle circumstanced)

1. To place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.