second string

noun

1. Sports.,  the squad of players available either individually or as a team to replace or relieve those who start a game.

2. a secondary position, status, or group, as in a level of corporate management.

second string

noun

1. an alternative course of action, etc, intended to come into use should the first fail (esp in the phrase a second string to one's bow )

2. a substitute or reserve player or team

adjective

1. sport

   1. being a substitute player

   2. being the second-ranked player of a team in an individual sport

2. second-rate or inferior

Other Word Forms

• second-string adjective
• second-stringer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of second string¹

1635–45 in sense “backup, resort,” alluding to a second bowstring; 1860–65, applied to racehorses; 1950–55, to sports teams