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dependent

de·pend·ent (de·pend·ant)

dependent (dependant)

 
 
pronunciation:
dih pen dihnt
features:
Word Parts
part of speech: noun
definition: a person who needs the help of another person in order to live.
I have two dependents, my son and my daughter.
synonyms:
minor
similar words:
child, youth
derivation: dependently (adv.)
Word Parts  About this feature
The word dependent contains the following parts:
pend, pens Latin root that means hang; weigh; spend
-ant, -ent Latin adjective- and noun-forming suffix that means (in adjectives) doing the action denoted by the verb root; (in nouns) one who or that which does the action denoted by the verb root.
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The suffix -ant , -ent forms adjectives and, to a much lesser extent, nouns from Latin verb stems such as fid in confident and stud in student . This suffix is the equivalent in Latin of the "-ing" inflection in English. Many adjectives ending in -ant , -ent have a corresponding noun ending in -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency.