depending

Depending is the present participle of the verb depend. It expresses contingency or conditionality and can introduce a clause that specifies a factor determining the result. The common construction is "depending on" followed by a noun or noun phrase: "Depending on the weather, we will hold the event indoors." "The fee varies depending on the services selected."

Grammatically, depending functions as a participle in dependent clauses or as part of the adverbial phrase "depending on." It is not typically used as a standalone adjective; "dependent" is the usual adjective for a condition that relies on something. When the situation is ongoing or shifting, you may also say "it depends" rather than "it is depending on."

Etymology: depend originates from Latin dependere, via Old French dependre, from de- "from" + pendere "to hang." The sense evolved from "to hang from" to "to rely on" or be contingent upon.

Usage in different domains: in software and computing, "depends on" describes a dependency relationship between components. In formal writing, "depending on" is generally preferred over "depending upon," though both are accepted; "upon" is somewhat more formal or archaic. While widely understood, "depending" should be used where a conditional relationship or influence is being described, and not as a stand-alone mental or physical attribute.