dependence, n.
Pronunciation: /dɪˈpɛndəns/
Forms: 15 -aunce, 15–18 -ance, 16– -ence.
Frequency (in current use):
Etymology: < French dépendance (15th cent. in Littré, in 14th cent. despendence , Oresme), < dependant : see DEPENDANT n. and -ance suffix. Like DEPENDENT adj., subseq. assimilated to the Latin type, the form in -ance being rare after 1800.
dependant | dependent, n.
Pronunciation: /dɪˈpɛndənt/
Frequency (in current use):
Etymology: < French
dépendant adjective and noun, properly present participle of
dépendre to
dependv.1 From the 18th cent. often (like the adjective) spelt
dependent, after Latin (both forms being entered by Johnson); but the spelling
-ant still predominates in the noun: compare
defendant,
assistant.
1755 Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Pref., Some words, such as dependant, dependent; dependance, dependence, vary their final syllable, as one or other language is present to the writer.
-ance, suffix
< French -ance:—Latin -ānt-ia, -ēnt-ia, -ent-ia (see -ence suffix), all of which in words that survived into French, or were formed in French as nouns of action, on the pres. pple., were levelled under -ance. But other Latin words of this form, subseq. adopted in French, took -ence or -ance, according to Latin spelling. Thus of popular preservation or formation, aidance, assistance, complaisance, nuisance, parlance, séance; of later learned adoption from Latin, absence, clémence, différence, diligence, providence, prudence, as well as élégance, tempérance. Words of both classes were adopted in English in their actual French forms, which they still generally retain. But, since 1500, various words orig. in -ance from French have been altered back to -ence, after Latin; and all words recently adopted from Latin, directly or through modern French, or formed on Latin analogies, have taken -ence or -ance according to the Latin vowel. Hence, modern English words in -ance partly represent Latin -āntia, but largely Latin -entia, -ēntia, through Old French -ance; partly also modern French -ance from vbs. of various origin. On the other hand, Old French -ance:—Latin -entia, -ēntia, is, in consequence of refashioning, partly represented by English -ence. For the confusion and inconsistency which this causes in current spelling, as in dependance, -dence, resistance, subsistence, see -ence suffix. As, in many cases, the Old French vbs. themselves, as well as their derivatives in -ance, were adopted in English (e.g. appear -ance, assist -ance, purvey -ance, suffer -ance), the suffix became to a certain extent a living formative, and was occas. used to form similar nouns of action on native vbs., as abid-ance, abear-ance, forbear-ance, further-ance, hinder-ance, ridd-ance, etc.
We also intend to remove all the exclusions from the definition of mental disorder—except the one for alcohol and drug dependance—again in the belief that the simpler we can make the law, the fewer arbitrary obstacles there will be to the proper use of the legislation...
Complaints about benzodiazepines have mainly related to the dependance-producing side-effects and the comparative safety profiles of certain members of the group.
This is not a Scottish debate. This is a matter for the United Kingdom. It is not a matter that is restricted to the resources and dependance of Scottish industry.
Sub-Committee on Food Supply in Time of War: (a) dependance of UK on imported food [1936]
