contingent vs vital

contingent

adj
  • Possible or liable, but not certain to occur. 

  • Dependent on something that is undetermined or unknown, that may or may not occur. 

  • Not logically necessarily true or false. 

  • Temporary. 

noun
  • That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a suitable share. 

  • A quota of troops. 

  • An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future. 

vital

adj
  • Invigorating or life-giving. 

  • Very important. 

  • Containing life; living. 

  • Necessary to continued existence. 

  • Necessary to the continuation of life; being the seat of life; being that on which life depends. 

  • Capable of living; in a state to live; viable. 

  • Relating to the recording of life events. 

  • Relating to, or characteristic of life. 

How often have the words contingent and vital occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )