dependency

American  

[dih-pen-duhn-see] / dɪˈpɛn dən si /

Or dependancy

noun

dependencies plural

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.

---

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

---

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

"I think there are some incredible opportunities that can actually lift Greenlanders from dependency to independence," Landry said in the interview.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

But whatever she was expected to do, she was clearly uncomfortable about her dependency on Epstein.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Meanwhile, China has spent a decade building yuan-denominated oil derivative markets and bilateral swap agreements designed to offer countries an alternative to dollar dependency.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Services like Google and Facebook already engage in this sort of nudging, manipulation and cultivation of dependency on their existing user base.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

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

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton