Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - dependency

(dependencies) 1. A dependency is a country which is controlled by another country. N-COUNT 2. You talk about someone’s dependency when they have a deep emotional, physical, or financial need for a particular person or thing, especially one that you consider excessive or undesirable. We worried about his dependency on his mother... ? independence N-UNCOUNT: oft N on n 3. If you talk about alcohol dependency or chemical dependency, you are referring to a situation where someone is an alcoholic or is addicted to drugs. (mainly AM) In 1985, he began to show signs of alcohol and drug dependency... = addiction N-VAR: usu n N