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noun Uncommon

dependency

dih-PEHN-duhn-see

Dependency (noun) means a strong reliance on someone or something, especially a habit-forming substance. Example: “The clinic specialises in treating alcohol dependency.”

noun
1
A strong reliance on someone or something, especially a habit-forming substance.
"The clinic specialises in treating alcohol dependency."
2
A territory that is governed or controlled by another country.
"The island remains a dependency of the United Kingdom."
3
In computing, a piece of software or code that another program relies on to function.
"Updating the library broke several other dependencies in the project."

How to use dependency

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA strong reliance on something, a territory ruled by another country, or (in tech) code that other code needs to run.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
drug dependency a British dependency install a dependency

Word forms

dependencies plural

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The clinic specialises in treating alcohol _____.

Etymology

Built from "dependent" plus "-cy," or from "depend" plus "-ency."

Related words

Rhymes for dependency

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Frequently asked questions

What does “dependency” mean?

The word “dependency” means a strong reliance on someone or something, especially a habit-forming substance. In plain terms, a strong reliance on something, a territory ruled by another country, or (in tech) code that other code needs to run.

How do you pronounce “dependency”?

“Dependency” is pronounced dih-PEHN-duhn-see (/dɪˈpɛndənsi/ in IPA).

How do you use “dependency” in a sentence?

Here is “dependency” used in a sentence: “The clinic specialises in treating alcohol dependency.”

What part of speech is “dependency”?

“Dependency” is a noun.

Is “dependency” a common word?

“Dependency” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “dependency” have?

“Dependency” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a strong reliance on someone or something, especially a habit-forming substance.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial