reliant

Reliant is an adjective meaning dependent on someone or something or requiring support, help, or a particular condition to function or succeed. It describes people, systems, or processes that rely on external factors. In everyday use, something that is reliant is not fully self-sufficient.

Common collocations include reliant on and reliant upon. On is more common in contemporary usage; upon is more formal or literary. The term is often paired with funding, resources, or infrastructure. The opposite of reliant is independent or self-reliant.

Origin and formation: The word is formed from the verb rely with the suffix -ant. Rely derives from Old French relier “to bind, fasten,” from Latin ligare “to bind.” Thus reliant originally conveyed the sense of being bound to something for support.

Examples:

- The program is reliant on continuous funding.

- Many farmers are reliant on favorable weather.

- A self-reliant approach emphasizes personal responsibility.

See also: reliance, rely, reliable, reliability, self-reliant, dependent.