auxiliary

American  

[awg-zil-yuh-ree, -zil-uh-] / ɔgˈzɪl yə ri, -ˈzɪl ə- /

adjective

1. additional; supplementary; reserve.

   an auxiliary police force.

2. used as a substitute or reserve in case of need.

   The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of a blackout.

   Synonyms:

   secondary, ancillary, backup

3. (of a boat) having an engine that can be used to supplement the sails.

   an auxiliary yawl.

4. giving support; serving as an aid; helpful.

   The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other. Passion is auxiliary to art.

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noun

plural

auxiliaries

1. a person or thing that gives aid of any kind; helper.

   Synonyms:

   help, assistant, ally, aide

2. an organization allied with, but subsidiary to, a main body of restricted membership, especially one composed of members' relatives.

   The men's club and the ladies' auxiliary were merged into one organization.

3. auxiliary verb.

4. auxiliaries, foreign troops in the service of a nation at war.

5. Navy. a naval vessel designed for other than combat purposes, as a tug, supply ship, or transport.

6. Nautical. a sailing vessel carrying an auxiliary propulsion engine or engines.

auxiliary British  

/ -ˈzɪlə-, ɔːɡˈzɪljərɪ /

adjective

1. secondary or supplementary

2. supporting

3. nautical (of a sailing vessel) having an engine

   an auxiliary sloop

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noun

1. a person or thing that supports or supplements; subordinate or assistant

2. nautical

   1. a sailing vessel with an engine

   2. the engine of such a vessel

3. navy a vessel such as a tug, hospital ship, etc, not used for combat

Etymology

Origin of auxiliary

1595–1605; < Latin auxiliārius assisting, aiding, helping, equivalent to auxili ( um ) aid, help ( aux ( us ) increased, augmented (past participle of augēre: aug- increase + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix) + -ilium noun suffix) + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

According to the Geneva Conventions, to which Russia is a party, former POWs can’t be employed on active military service, only in auxiliary roles.

From The Wall Street Journal

On the island, Laczko waited as mechanics tried to fix the plane’s auxiliary power unit that sits in the tail of the plane.

From The Wall Street Journal

A recent study in the Journal of Hepatology describes the first successful auxiliary liver xenotransplant from a genetically engineered pig into a living human.

From Science Daily

The auxiliary’s Facebook page also encouraged residents to hang blue ribbons outside homes, mailboxes, fences and porches—“for our hometown soldier.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The system can connect to three devices through HDMI, Optical, and auxiliary inputs, and it also supports wireless bluetooth.

From Barron's

Related Words

• ancillary