dependent

Noun · Adjective

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. a person who relies on another person for support (especially financial support)Synonyms: dependant

Adjective (6)

  1. relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed“dependent children”“dependent on moisture”
  2. contingent on something elseSynonyms: dependantqualified
  3. (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence“a subordinate (or dependent) clause functions as a noun or adjective or adverb within a sentence”Synonyms: subordinate
  4. held from above“a pendant bunch of grapes”Synonyms: pendentpendant
  5. being under the power or sovereignty of another or others“subject peoples”“a dependent prince”Synonyms: subject
  6. addicted to a drugSynonyms: dependantdrug-addictedhookedstrung-out
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Dependent \De*pend"ent\, n.

1.One who depends; one who is sustained by another, or who relies on another for financial support or favor; a hanger-on; a retainer; as, a numerous train of dependents. [1913 Webster]

A host of dependents on the court, suborned to play their part as witnesses.— Hallam.[1913 Webster]

2.That which depends; corollary; consequence. [1913 Webster]

With all its circumstances and dependents.— Prynne.[1913 Webster]

Note: See the Note under Dependant. [1913 Webster]


Dependent \De*pend"ent\, a. [L. dependens, -entis, p. pr. dependere. See Depend, and cf. Dependant.]

1.Hanging down; as, a dependent bough or leaf. [1913 Webster]

2.Relying on, or subject to, something else for support; not able to exist, or sustain itself, or to perform anything, without the will, power, or aid of something else; not self-sustaining; subordinate; -- often with on or upon; as, dependent on God; dependent upon friends. Opposite of independent. [Narrower terms: interdependent, mutualist, mutually beneficial; parasitic, parasitical, leechlike, bloodsucking; subordinate; underage; myrmecophilous; symbiotic] Also See: unfree. [1913 Webster]

England, long dependent and degraded, was again a power of the first rank.— Macaulay.[1913 Webster]

3.conditional; contingent or conditioned. Opposite of unconditional.

Syn: qualified. [WordNet 1.5]

4.addicted to drugs.

Syn: addicted, dependent, drug-addicted, hooked, strung-out. [WordNet 1.5]

Dependent covenant or Dependent contract (Law), one not binding until some connecting stipulation is performed.

Dependent variable (Math.), a varying quantity whose changes are arbitrary, but are regarded as produced by changes in another variable, which is called the independent variable. [1913 Webster]

The Devil's Dictionary

DEPENDENT, adj. Reliant upon another's generosity for the support which you are not in a position to exact from his fears.
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