subsidiary

[suhb-sid-ee-er-ee]

adjective

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

2. subordinate or secondary.

   subsidiary issues.

3. of or relating to a subsidiary.

noun

plural

subsidiaries 

1. a subsidiary thing or person.

2. subsidiary company.

3. Music.,  a subordinate theme or subject.

subsidiary

/ səbˈsɪdɪərɪ /

adjective

1. serving to aid or supplement; auxiliary

2. of lesser importance; subordinate in function

noun

1. a person who or thing that is subsidiary

2. short for subsidiary company

Other Word Forms

• subsidiarily adverb
• subsidiariness noun
• nonsubsidiary adjective
• unsubsidiary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of subsidiary¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of subsidiary¹

C16: from Latin subsidiārius supporting, from subsidium _subsidy

Example Sentences

Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer, said the sale was prompted by “restrictive measures of some states introduced against the company and its subsidiaries.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The BBC asked to speak to Tesla's subsidiary, TM Sweden, but the request was declined in an email citing "all-time high deliveries".

Read more on BBC

Two of News Corp’s subsidiaries have sued Perplexity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In response to U.S. fees on Chinese ships calling in American ports, Beijing said it would impose a special fee on U.S. vessels docking in China and sanctioned U.S. subsidiaries of a South Korean shipbuilder.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Flights from Alaska and its subsidiary Horizon Air were affected, though flights operated by Hawaiian Airlines, owned by Alaska, weren’t.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ancillary 
• supplementary