cyclic dependency
compound.compound. a situation where two or more things depend on each other to work. This creates a loop that can cause problems because neither part can finish or start without the other.
compound. a relationship between two or more modules, components, or objects that directly or indirectly rely on each other to function. This circular reference often prevents successful compilation, execution, or resolution in software engineering and logic.
The software crashed because of a cyclic dependency between two files.
The developer had to refactor the code because a cyclic dependency prevented the system from determining which module to load first.
In complex software architectures, a cyclic dependency can lead to memory leaks or infinite loops if the garbage collector cannot properly identify which objects are still in active use.
A compound term formed from the adjective cyclic, derived from the Greek kyklos meaning a wheel or circle, and the noun dependency, originating from the Latin dependere meaning to hang from.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Commonly used in computer science, software engineering, and systems theory.
Last updated July 22, 2026