context-dependent
|con-text-de-pend-ent|
🇺🇸
/kənˌtɛkst dɪˈpɛndənt/
🇬🇧
/kɒnˌtɛkst dɪˈpɛndənt/
depends on surrounding circumstances
Etymology
'context-dependent' is a modern compound formed in English by joining 'context' + 'dependent' to describe something whose status or meaning depends on context.
'context' comes from Latin 'contextus' (from 'contexere' meaning 'to weave together'), and 'dependent' comes from Latin 'dependere' (from 'de-' + 'pendere' meaning 'to hang down'); the compound construction 'context-dependent' emerged in modern English (chiefly 20th century) to express dependency on context.
Initially, 'context' and 'dependent' had separate literal senses ('weaving together' and 'hanging down'); combined as 'context-dependent' the phrase came to mean 'determined by surrounding circumstances' in technical and general use.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
varying according to the surrounding circumstances or the situation; whose interpretation or value depends on context.
The interpretation of that sentence is context-dependent and may change depending on the surrounding text.
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Adjective 2
in computing or linguistics: a property, value, or behavior determined by external context or environment rather than by intrinsic rules alone.
In some programming languages, variable scoping can be context-dependent.
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Last updated: 2025/09/11 10:41