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secondary source

American  
[se-kuhnd-eree sawrs] / ˈsɛ kəndˌɛri ˈsɔrs /

noun

  1. a description based on a first-hand account, often of a historical event.

  2. an analysis of or commentary on a literary work or piece of art.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

To fill the gap in “sealift,” China’s military would lean on a secondary source: civilian ships.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 7, 2025

Gone are competitive purses because of the lack of a secondary source of income such as casino gambling.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 2, 2025

Baucus said in depositions with attorneys that the clinic’s practice of declaring some patients eligible for benefits without confirmation of their condition from a secondary source such as an X-ray was legitimate.

From Seattle Times Jun. 29, 2023

The College Board has said it has sought copyright permission to distribute a range of secondary source text from authors and scholars, including Crenshaw, Ta-Nehisi Coates and James Baldwin.

From Washington Post Feb. 9, 2023

Most had recently adopted agriculture or were soon to do so, but it was still a secondary source of food, a supplement to the wild products of the land.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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