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dependency

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dependency

  • /dɪˈpɛndənsi/ UK
  • /dɪˈpɛndənsi/ Canada, UK, US
  • /dəˈpɛndənsi/ Canada, UK, US
  • /dɪˈpendənsi/ Australia
  • /dəˈpendənsi/ Australia
  • /dəˈpendənsi/ New Zealand

Where it comes from

From dependent + -cy or dependence + -y or depend + -ency.

noun dependencies

  1. countable, uncountable A state of dependence; a refusal to exercise initiative. Frank's sullen dependency was driving his father nuts.
  2. countable, uncountable Something dependent on, or subordinate to, something else In the United States' governmental structure, the military is conceived as a dependency under the executive branch.
  3. countable, uncountable The status of being a legal dependent; the relationship between a dependent and their provider. In discussing this dependency, the Board said that there was clearly such a relationship. Charles Glassman, Donovan's attorney, said "Finnerty [worked] as deputy district attorney and Donovan lived off [Finnerty's] salary."
  4. countable, uncountable A colony, or a territory subject to rule by an external power. ‘I have a little theory which you Messieurs who go out there must help me to prove. This is my share in the advantages my country shall reap from the possession of such a magnificent dependency.’

    Similar: colony, protectorate, province, dominion

  5. countable, uncountable A dependence on a habit-forming substance such as a drug or alcohol.

    Similar: addiction

  6. countable, uncountable Reliance on the functionality provided by some other, external component. This library has dependencies on a lot of other libraries. We have to compile all of those other libraries first.
  7. countable, uncountable An external component whose functionality is relied on. One of this library's dependencies is very finicky. It can be hard to get it to compile on some systems.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: dependence, dependance, addiction, dependent, dependant, reliance, habit, independence, appurtenance, subsidiary, interdependence, interdependency, subordination, subjection, collateral, appropriation

Translations

Every language

noun something dependent or subordinate to something else

Españoldependencia
日本語付属品 fuzokuhin
हिन्दीनिर्भरता nirbhartā
DeutschAbhängigkeit
Românădependență

noun a colony or similar territory subject to rule by an external power

日本語属領 zokuryō, 属国 zokkoku
DeutschKolonie, Schutzgebiet
Românăcolonie

noun addiction

Françaisdépendance
DeutschAbhängigkeit
Românădependență

noun computing: reliance on functionality

Françaisdépendance
DeutschAbhängigkeit, Dependency
العربيةتَبَعِيَّة tabaʕiyya

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Cite this
MLA

"dependency." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dependency. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

dependency. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dependency

Chicago

"dependency." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dependency.

BibTeX
@misc{dependency_2026,
  title = {dependency},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dependency},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}