dependency

The state of needing someone or something for help, support, or normal life.

• His dependency on his parents worried him.
• The programme helps people overcome drug dependency.
• They want to reduce their dependency on imported fuel.

How to use it: dependency on someone/something (The country wants to reduce its dependency on oil.)

Similar words: dependence, reliance

Opposites: independence

Common phrases: dependency on someone, financial dependency, drug dependency

The need for a program to use another program or component to work.

• The package has a dependency on another library.
• Install all dependencies before running the program.
• An outdated dependency caused the application to fail.

How to use it: dependency on something (This tool has a dependency on a graphics library.)

Common phrases: software dependency, dependency on something, dependency conflict

A territory governed by another country.

• The island is an overseas dependency.
• Each dependency has its own local government.
• The map shows the country and its dependencies.

Similar words: dependent territory

Common phrases: overseas dependency, crown dependency

A relationship in a sentence where one word or part relies on another.

• The diagram shows a dependency between two words.
• This parser identifies dependencies in each sentence.
• Dependency grammar links words through their grammatical roles.

How to use it: dependency between A and B (There is a dependency between the verb and its object.)

Common phrases: syntactic dependency, dependency grammar, dependency relation

Something that is controlled by, or has a lower position than, something else.

• The office was a dependency of the ministry.
• Each dependency answered to the central authority.
• The new department became a dependency of the council.

How to use it: a dependency of something (The bureau is a dependency of the finance ministry.)

Similar words: subordinate unit

Common phrases: administrative dependency, dependency of something