dependency

Universal Words noun (plural dependencies) 1 [U] ~ (on / upon sb/sth) the state of relying on sb/sth for sth, especially when this is not normal or necessary: financial / economic dependency * Their aim is to reduce people's dependency on the welfare state. * the dependency culture (= a way of life on which people are too dependent on money from the government) 2 [C] a country, an area, etc. that is controlled by another country: The Orkney islands were formerly dependencies of Norway and Denmark. 3 = DEPENDENCE(2)