depend

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪˈpɛnd/ UK /dɪˈpɛnd/ See IPA manual

Freq #4994

Meanings

1

verb
To be affected or decided by something else.

Whether we go skiing depends on how much snow there is.
2

verb
To trust or rely on someone or something for help or support.

You can always depend on her to keep a secret.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with depend

depend on Prepositional verb A2

to rely on someone or something for support

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to be affected or decided... hinge on

2 verb · to trust or rely on someone... bet

Word family

Forms dependeddependingdepends

Derived forms dependability dependabledependancydependantdependeedependence dependent dependerdependinglyinterdependundepending

Related forms depending

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

depend on
to rely on someone or something for support

Verb + preposition/particle

Proverbs (2)

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Simplified etymology

Depend entered English in late Middle English and belongs to the word family derived from Latin pendere. Its literal underlying meaning is “hang down.”

Etymology

From Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre and Latin dependeō, from Latin dē- + pendeō (“to hang”). In this sense, displaced native Old English hangian (“to hang or depend”).

*(s)pend- Proto-Indo-European dependen Middle English dependre Old French dependeō Latin dē- Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# depend

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈpɛnd/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈpɛnd/
**Frequency rank:** 4994

## Meanings
1. To be affected or decided by something else.
2. To trust or rely on someone or something for help or support.

## Examples
- Whether we go skiing depends on how much snow there is.
- You can always depend on her to keep a secret.

## Derived Forms
- dependability
- dependable
- dependancy
- dependant
- dependee
- dependence
- dependent
- depender
- dependingly
- interdepend
- undepending

## Related Forms
- depending

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)pend-
- Root: dependen
- Root: dependre
- Root: dependeō
- Root: dē-

## Etymology
From Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre and Latin dependeō, from Latin dē- + pendeō (“to hang”). In this sense, displaced native Old English hangian (“to hang or depend”).

## AI Etymology
depend comes from Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre and Latin dependeō, from Latin dē- + pendeō (“to hang”). In this sense, displaced native Old English hangian (“to hang or depend”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend-, Middle English dependen, Old French dependre, Latin dependeō, Latin dē-. Current senses include to be affected or decided by something else and to trust or rely on someone or something for help or support. English relatives and later formations include dependability, dependable, dependancy, depending.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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