I. de ‧ pen ‧ dence /dɪˈpendəns/ BrE AmE ( also dependency ) noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ dependant , ↑ dependence ≠ ↑ independence , ↑ dependency ; adverb : ↑ dependably , ↑ independently ; adjective : ↑ dependable , ↑ dependent ≠ ↑ independent ; verb : ↑ depend ]
1 . when you depend on the help and support of someone or something else in order to exist or be successful OPP independence
dependence on/upon
our dependence on oil as a source of energy
the financial dependency of some women on men
2 . drug/alcohol dependence when someone is ↑ addicted to drugs or alcohol
3 . technical when one thing is strongly affected by another thing
dependence of
the mutual dependence of profit and growth
II. de ‧ pen ‧ den ‧ cy /dɪˈpendənsi/ BrE AmE noun ( plural dependencies )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ dependant , ↑ dependence ≠ ↑ independence , ↑ dependency ; adverb : ↑ dependably , ↑ independently ; adjective : ↑ dependable , ↑ dependent ≠ ↑ independent ; verb : ↑ depend ]
1 . [uncountable] ↑ dependence :
drug dependency
2 . [countable] a country that is controlled by another country ⇨ colony :
Britain’s Caribbean dependencies