subordinate

[ adjective, noun suh-bawr-dn-it; verb suh-bawr-dn-eyt ]
See synonyms for: subordinatesubordinatedsubordinatessubordinating on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. placed in or belonging to a lower order or rank.

  2. of less importance; secondary.

  1. subject to or under the authority of a superior.

  2. subservient or inferior.

  3. Grammar.

    • acting as a modifier, as when I finished, which is subordinate to They were glad in They were glad when I finished.

    • noting or pertaining to a subordinating conjunction.

  4. Obsolete. submissive.

noun
  1. a subordinate person or thing.

verb (used with object),sub·or·di·nat·ed, sub·or·di·nat·ing.
  1. to place in a lower order or rank.

  2. to make secondary (usually followed by to): to subordinate work to pleasure.

  1. to make subject, subservient, or dependent (usually followed by to): to subordinate passion to reason.

Origin of subordinate

1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English adjective subordynat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre “to subordinate,” equivalent to Latin sub- “under, below, beneath” + ōrdin- (stem of ōrdō ) “rank, order” + -ātus past participle suffix; see sub-, -ate1

Other words for subordinate

Opposites for subordinate

Other words from subordinate

  • sub·or·di·nate·ly, adverb
  • sub·or·di·nate·ness, noun
  • sub·or·di·na·tion, sub·or·di·na·cy [suh-bawr-dn-uh-see], /səˈbɔr dn ə si/, noun
  • sub·or·di·na·tive [suh-bawr-dn-ey-tiv, -bawr-dn-uh-], /səˈbɔr dnˌeɪ tɪv, -ˈbɔr dn ə-/, adjective
  • non·sub·or·di·nate, adjective
  • non·sub·or·di·nat·ing, adjective
  • pre·sub·or·di·nate, verb (used with object), pre·sub·or·di·nat·ed, pre·sub·or·di·nat·ing.
  • self-sub·or·di·nat·ing, adjective
  • un·sub·or·di·nate, adjective
  • un·sub·or·di·na·tive, adjective

Words Nearby subordinate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use subordinate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for subordinate

subordinate

adjective(səˈbɔːdɪnɪt)
  1. of lesser order or importance

  2. under the authority or control of another: a subordinate functionary

noun(səˈbɔːdɪnɪt)
  1. a person or thing that is subordinate

verb(səˈbɔːdɪˌneɪt) (tr usually foll by to)
  1. to put in a lower rank or position (than)

  2. to make subservient: to subordinate mind to heart

Origin of subordinate

1
C15: from Medieval Latin subordināre, from Latin sub- + ordō rank

Derived forms of subordinate

  • subordinately, adverb
  • subordination or subordinateness, noun
  • subordinative, adjective

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