subalternate

American  

[suhb-awl-ter-nit, -al-] / sʌbˈɔl tər nɪt, -ˈæl- /

adjective

1. subordinate.

2. Botany. placed singly along an axis, but tending to become grouped oppositely.

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subalternate British  

/ sʌbˌɔːltəˈneɪʃən, sʌbˈɔːltənɪt /

adjective

1. (of leaves) having an arrangement intermediate between alternate and opposite

2. following in turn

3. of lesser quality or status

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Other Word Forms

• subalternation noun

Etymology

Origin of subalternate

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin subalternātus (past participle of subalternāre to subordinate), equivalent to subaltern ( us ) subaltern + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

One of the hens was his favourite, the others filled subalternate parts.

From A Literary History of the English People From the Origins to the Renaissance by Jusserand, Jean Jules

As before, the conclusion in the constructive type resolves itself into the subalternate of the major itself, and in the destructive type into the subalternate of its contrapositive.

From Deductive Logic by Stock, St. George William Joseph

Shrubs or trees with opposite, rarely subalternate, simple, deciduous leaves.

From Trees of the Northern United States Their Study, Description and Determination by Apgar, A. C. (Austin Craig)

Now "substance" and "evidence" are different genera, and neither is subalternate to the other.

From Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

But science and virtue are distinct from one another as genera which are not subalternate, as the Philosopher proves in Topic. iv.

From Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint