dependency

/dɪˈpɛndənsi/
noun
  1. A situation in which someone or something needs another person or thing in order to survive, function, or be successful.
    • Her dependency on her parents ended when she got her first job.
    • The country's dependency on oil exports makes its economy unstable.
    • The software has a dependency on an older operating system.
  2. A country or region that is controlled by another country.
    • The island was once a British dependency before gaining independence.
    • Many small dependencies rely on the mainland for defense and trade.
    • Puerto Rico is a territory that functions as a dependency of the United States.
  3. An addiction to a substance, such as drugs or alcohol.
    • Physical dependency on caffeine can cause headaches when you stop drinking coffee.
    • The doctor warned her about the risk of dependency with long-term use of the medication.
    • He entered a rehabilitation center to treat his dependency on painkillers.
What does "dependency" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean