contango

American  

[kuhn-tang-goh] / kənˈtæŋ goʊ /

noun

• contangos,
  plural
• contangoes
  plural

1. (on the London stock exchange) a fee paid by a buyer of securities to the seller for the privilege of deferring payment.

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contango British  

/ kənˈtæŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. (formerly, on the London Stock Exchange) postponement of payment for and delivery of stock from one account day to the next

2. Also called: carry-over.   continuation.  the fee paid for such a postponement Compare backwardation

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verb

1. (tr) to arrange such a postponement of payment (for)

   my brokers will contango these shares

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• contangoes
  plural
• contangos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of contango

1850–55; said to be alteration of continue or contingent

Compare meaning

How does contango compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• contango vs. backwardation

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contango contangoes contangos

“The curve structure also strengthened, with the front end returning to backwardation after recently flipping into contango amid the ramp-up of Persian Gulf supply.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Back in 2020, when the market’s sharp contango quickly corrected itself, it seemed like investors rightly concluded that the pandemic’s effects would ease within months.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

Usually, VIX futures are higher than the VIX to reflect the extra risk of holding a longer-duration contract, a condition known as contango.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 22, 2026

Oil futures recently slipped into a trading pattern known as contango, where oil delivered today is worth less than oil delivered several months from now.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025

For the accommodation a certain charge, which is called "contango," is made, the amount varying with the value of money and the quality of the stock.

From Everybody's Guide to Money Matters: with a description of the various investments chiefly dealt in on the stock exchange, and the mode of dealing therein by William Cotton

Basking in the smiles of his Dolly, he gradually forgot stocks, shares, backwardations, and contangoes.

From Fifty-Two Stories For Girls by Alfred H. (Alfred Henry) Miles

Continuā′tion, constant succession: extension; Continuā′tion-day, the same as Contango-day, that on which contangoes are fixed.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Let's go and chatter to Bob about contangos.

From First Plays by A. A. (Alan Alexander) Milne