codependencyn.
/ˌkəʊdᵻˈpɛnd(ə)nsi/, U.S. /ˌkoʊdəˈpɛnd(ə)nsi/, /ˌkoʊdiˈpɛnd(ə)nsi/ Originally U.S.
Excessive emotional or psychological reliance on another person (typically a partner or close relative), esp. one with an illness or addiction requiring care or support; reciprocal dependence on another's neediness; a situation or relationship characterized by this.
ΚΠ
1977 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times 29 Oct. d10/3 A four-session seminar on 'Alcoholism and Co-Dependency' begins Tuesday in Grace Lutheran Church.
1991 D. Stafford & L. Hodgkinson Codependency 133 Addiction studies have shown that all forms of compulsive behaviour—eating disorders, compulsive gambling, sexaholism, alcoholism, spendaholism—are external manifestations of underlying codependency.
2001 Guardian (Nexis) 26 May (Saturday Review section) 9 He and Katie loathe one another, but are prevented from separation by Tom and Molly, their two children, and by what one might call mutual habitual codependency.
2018 Frederick (Maryland) News-Post 5 June c5/1 After they were wed, their drug-fueled codependency became the overriding component in their relationship.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1977