secondhand

American  

[sek-uhnd-hand] / ˈsɛk əndˈhænd /

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.

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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

Etymology

Origin of secondhand

First recorded in 1645–55; second ¹ + hand

Explanation

Anything that's secondhand has been used before. Your secondhand boots may look brand new, but they were owned by someone else before you bought them. Things that aren't new are secondhand, so you might buy a secondhand car from your grandma or shop at a secondhand clothing store to get good deals. You can also use this adjective to mean "not from an original or primary source." If your sister tells you that her best friend told her that he saw a famous movie star at the coffee shop, that's secondhand information.

Example Sentences

Purchase imperfect secondhand garden furniture where you can sit and drink tea and read an imperfectly wonderful book by your favorite author.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

Wouldn’t he, too, like to leave the barn and see the world he has only heard about secondhand?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

With secondhand shopping on the rise, one L.A. store has carved out a niche by helping influencers sell their surplus clothes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

New York City resident Kate Caldwell says she picks the slower, cheaper option for nearly everything she buys online, including roasted pistachios, Japanese tea and secondhand books.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Starry squeals over a secondhand television, I get a fresh notebook, and Ma looks pleased with a new sewing machine and reams of different kinds of cloth, buttons, zippers, and other supplies.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins