/ dɪˈpendənt; NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective
1.
dependent (on / upon sb/sth) (for sth) needing sb/sth in order to survive or be successful :
a woman with several dependent children
You can't be dependent on your parents all your life.
The festival is heavily dependent on sponsorship for its success.
2.
dependent on / upon sth addicted to sth (= unable to stop taking or using it) :
to be dependent on drugs
3.
dependent on / upon sth ( formal ) affected or decided by sth :
A child's development is dependent on many factors.
The price is dependent on how many extras you choose.
■ noun
( especially NAmE ) = dependant
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English dependant hanging down , from Old French , present participle of dependre , from Latin dependere , from de- down + pendere hang. The spelling change in the 16th cent. was due to association with the Latin participial stem dependent- .