As an adjective, it means needing someone or something else for support, help, or existence. As a noun, it means a person, such as a child, who relies on someone else for financial support.
From Latin *dependere* meaning 'to hang from', through Old French *dependant*. The core idea is something hanging on or attached to something else for support.
Dependent doesn’t always mean weak—babies must be dependent, and even adults are dependent on things like food systems and electricity. The word reminds us that independence is often more limited than we like to think.
In legal and economic contexts, 'dependent' was historically applied to wives and children in ways that obscured women's economic contributions and reinforced male breadwinner norms. Tax and immigration systems often coded married women primarily as dependents, limiting their recognized autonomy.
Use 'dependent' neutrally for anyone relying on another for significant support, and avoid assuming spouses—especially women—are dependents by default.
["supported family member","person who relies on X (for context)"]
When discussing historical 'dependents,' explicitly note that many women contributed substantial unpaid and paid labor that was not formally recognized.
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