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dependency

dih-PEN-dun-see /dɪˈpɛndənsi/

nounC1GMATGRE

TechnicalProfessional

A task or state that must be completed or exist before another task can begin.

In project management, dependencies are the logical relationships between tasks (e.g., 'you can't paint the wall until you build the wall').

The story behind the word. The Latin 'pendere' means 'to hang'. A 'dependency' is something that 'hangs down' from another thing. If the top thing falls, the dependency falls with it. This perfectly describes tasks that rely on one another.

Word relationships

contingency: A contingency is a future event that might happen; a dependency is a task that must happen for the next one to start.
requirement: A requirement is a necessary quality; a dependency is a necessary preceding action.

independence: Independence means a task can be performed at any time without waiting for others.

Commonly confused with

bottleneck: A dependency is a logical order of tasks; a bottleneck is a point where the flow of work is slowed down.

Word family

depend (verb): To rely on.
dependent (adjective): Relying on someone or something else.

Collocations

task dependency
critical dependency
external dependency
manage dependencies

Example sentences

"The roof installation has a clear dependency on the completion of the structural frame." Construction
"We identified a software dependency that requires an update to the operating system first." Software

Memory hook

Think of a 'pendant' hanging from a necklace—it depends on the chain to stay up. A dependency 'hangs' on the task before it.

When not to use

Do not confuse with 'dependence' in a psychological or chemical sense.

Fun facts

In project management, there are four types of dependencies: Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Start, Finish-to-Finish, and Start-to-Finish.
The term is also used in computer science to describe how one piece of code relies on another.