What does dependance mean?
Dependance is a variant spelling of dependence, denoting the state of depending on someone or something — whether for support, sustenance, or survival. It can describe practical reliance, as when a nation's economy rests heavily on one export, emotional attachment between people, or the physical and psychological hold of an addictive substance. The word carries a largely neutral-to-negative connotation: in social and political contexts it often signals vulnerability or a lack of self-sufficiency, while in medical contexts it names a recognized clinical condition. Although historically common in British English, dependance has steadily given way to the standard spelling dependence in both Britain and America, and most modern style guides treat it as nonstandard. Writers today are best served by dependence, reserving dependance mainly for quotations of older texts or deliberate stylistic effect.
The state of relying on or being subject to someone or something else.
"The island's total dependance on tourism became painfully clear when visitor numbers collapsed."
Variant spelling of dependence; preferred in neither British nor American English today.
Physical or psychological reliance on a drug or other substance.
"Prolonged opioid treatment carries a real risk of developing dependance."
Rarely used in the plural; the concept is almost always expressed as an uncountable noun.
"The report catalogued the young firm's many dependances on outside investors."
That extra 'a' in 'dependance' is not a typo — it's an older spelling that survives mostly in British English, though most modern dictionaries steer you back to 'dependence.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dependance
The word derives from the Latin verb pendere, meaning "to hang," via the Old French dependre and its derivative dependent, which entered English from French in the late medieval period. Both dependance and dependence reflect the French spellings dépendance and dépendence respectively, with the -ance form preserving a more direct echo of the French source. The word belongs to the same Latin root family as pendant, suspend, and pending, all of which preserve the core image of something hanging from or attached to something else.
How dependance is actually used
"Dependance" is now considered a variant rather than the preferred form. Most contemporary dictionaries list "dependence" as the headword and treat this spelling as secondary or obsolete-leaning, so careful writers generally choose "dependence" unless quoting historical texts.
Easily confused with dependance
"Dependence" is the standard spelling in both British and American English, while "dependance" is a less common chiefly British variant; the two mean the same thing but only "dependence" is widely accepted in modern usage.
"Dependency" can also refer to a dependent territory or an addicted state, senses that "dependance" does not carry.