subsidiary

[ suhb-sid-ee-er-ee ]
See synonyms for: subsidiarysubsidiaries on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. serving to assist or supplement; auxiliary; supplementary.

  2. subordinate or secondary: subsidiary issues.

  1. of or relating to a subsidiary.

noun,plural sub·sid·i·ar·ies.
  1. a subsidiary thing or person.

  1. Music. a subordinate theme or subject.

Origin of subsidiary

1
1535–45; <Latin subsidiārius, equivalent to subsidi(um) (see subsidy) + -ārius-ary

Other words from subsidiary

  • sub·sid·i·ar·i·ly [suhb-sid-ee-air-uh-lee, -sid-ee-er-], /səbˌsɪd iˈɛər ə li, -ˈsɪd iˌɛr-/, adverb
  • sub·sid·i·ar·i·ness, noun
  • non·sub·sid·i·ar·y, adjective, noun, plural non·sub·sid·i·ar·ies.
  • un·sub·sid·i·ar·y, adjective

Words Nearby subsidiary

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use subsidiary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for subsidiary

subsidiary

/ (səbˈsɪdɪərɪ) /


adjective
  1. serving to aid or supplement; auxiliary

  2. of lesser importance; subordinate in function

nounplural -aries
  1. a person who or thing that is subsidiary

Origin of subsidiary

1
C16: from Latin subsidiārius supporting, from subsidium subsidy

Derived forms of subsidiary

  • subsidiarily, adverb
  • subsidiariness, noun

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