dependency

de·pen·den·cy

noun \-dən(t)-sē\

plural de·pen·den·cies

Definition of DEPENDENCY

1

: dependence 1

2

: something that is dependent on something else; especially : a territorial unit under the jurisdiction of a nation but not formally annexed by it

3

: a building (as a stable) that is an adjunct to a main dwelling

Examples of DEPENDENCY

1. the country's dependency on foreign oil
2. a dependency on foreign oil

First Known Use of DEPENDENCY

1594

Related to DEPENDENCY

Synonyms

dependence, reliance

Antonyms

independence, independency, self-dependence, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, self-support

Related Words

reciprocity, relativity; confidence, credence, faith, stock, trust

Near Antonyms

autonomy, self-determination, sovereignty (also sovranty)

de·pen·den·cy

noun \-dən-sē\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural ; de·pen·den·cies

Medical Definition of DEPENDENCY

: dependence

dependency

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In international relations, a weak state dominated by or under the jurisdiction of a more powerful state but not formally annexed by it. Examples include American Samoa (U.S.) and Greenland (Denmark). The dominant state may control certain of its affairs, such as defense, foreign relations, and internal security, and allow it autonomy in domestic affairs such as education, health, and infrastructural development. In the 1960s and '70s the term referred to an approach to understanding third-world development that emphasized the constraints imposed by the global political and economic order.