secondhand

[sek-uhnd-hand]

adjective

1. not directly known or experienced; obtained from others or from books.

   Most of our knowledge is secondhand.

2. previously used or owned.

   secondhand clothes.

3. dealing in previously used goods.

   a secondhand bookseller.

adverb

1. after another user or owner.

   He bought it secondhand.

2. indirectly; at second hand.

   He heard the news secondhand.

Other Word Forms

• secondhandedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of secondhand¹

First recorded in 1645–55; second ¹ + hand

Example Sentences

For luxury brands trying to win back shoppers, secondhand sellers have become a potential nuisance.

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When I stopped a few young shoppers in a secondhand store, they said they simply liked the styles they’d seen on social media.

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Carved into their uniforms and the store’s façade is “eBay” — the secondhand e-commerce company collaborated with Roan to curate an array of trinkets and garments suited for the show.

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We buy secondhand, cancel streaming, bring lunch etc.

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Authorities also said that Robinson was living with and in a romantic relationship with a trans person, drawing from a secondhand account from Robinson’s mother.

Read more on Salon