dependency

American  

[dih-pen-duhn-see] / dɪˈpɛn dən si /

Or dependancy

noun

plural

dependencies

1. the state of being dependent; dependence.

2. something dependent or subordinate; appurtenance.

3. an outbuilding or annex.

4. a subject territory that is not an integral part of the ruling country.

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dependency British  

/ dɪˈpɛndənsɪ /

noun

1. a territory subject to a state on which it does not border

2. a dependent or subordinate person or thing

3. psychol overreliance by a person on another person or on a drug, etc

4. another word for dependence

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Other Word Forms

• nondependancy noun
• nondependency noun
• self-dependency noun

Etymology

Origin of dependency

First recorded in 1585–95; dependence + -y ³

Explanation

Dependency happens when you can't function without the help of someone or something. If you have a dependency on coffee, you need it to be human in the morning. Not sure? Ask the people you live with. A dependency on the help or support of another person isn't necessarily negative, but other kinds of dependency — on something habit-forming or addictive, like cigarettes — can be harmful. You can also use this noun to mean "a country, province, or territory controlled by a bigger, more powerful country." Guam and Puerto Rico, which don't have complete independence from the US, can be called dependencies.

Example Sentences

Papic accepts that China has a heavy energy import dependency, but points out this is far less of an Achilles’ heel than most make out.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Although this dependency is considered a weakness, many cancers find ways to work around it.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney came to power last year with a goal of reducing U.S. dependency by accelerating domestic infrastructure, expanding energy exports, and building new trade partnerships in Asia and elsewhere.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Over the next decades, questions on language, literacy and occupation were refined, adding secondary work and dependency details.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Such examples of path dependency are the rule and not the exception.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton