subsidiary

[suhb-sid-ee-er-ee]

adjective

1. serving to assist or supplement; auxiliary; supplementary.

2. subordinate or secondary.

   subsidiary issues.

3. of or relating to a subsidiary.

noun

plural

subsidiaries 

1. a subsidiary thing or person.

2. subsidiary company.

3. Music.,  a subordinate theme or subject.

subsidiary

/ səbˈsɪdɪərɪ /

adjective

1. serving to aid or supplement; auxiliary

2. of lesser importance; subordinate in function

noun

1. a person who or thing that is subsidiary

2. short for subsidiary company

Other Word Forms

• subsidiarily adverb
• subsidiariness noun
• nonsubsidiary adjective
• unsubsidiary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of subsidiary¹

1535–45; < Latin subsidiārius, equivalent to subsidi ( um ) ( subsidy ) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of subsidiary¹

C16: from Latin subsidiārius supporting, from subsidium _subsidy

Example Sentences

The claim, first reported by Courthouse News Service, alleges that subsidiaries Mercy San Juan Medical Center and Mercy General Hospital refused to provide her emergency abortion care for religious reasons.

From Los Angeles Times

Along with its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, Live Nation puts on concerts, sells tickets and owns venues, serving multiple roles that the Department of Justice said had turned it into a "gatekeeper" for the industry.

From BBC

Just as important, Kirk sensed and exploited the complacency and weakness of liberal culture, and understood, in the cliché of our age, that politics is a downstream subsidiary.

From Salon

DoorDash has partnered with aviation companies Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, and Flytrek, an Israeli drone delivery company.

From Los Angeles Times

His company also reached a financial settlement with Italian tax authorities over offshore subsidiaries in 2014, though no wrongdoing was admitted.

From BBC

Related Words

• ancillary 
• supplementary