auxiliary

[ awg-zil-yuh-ree, -zil-uh- ]

adjective

1. additional; supplementary; reserve:

   an auxiliary police force.

2. used as a substitute or reserve in case of need:

   The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of a blackout.

   Synonyms: secondary, ancillary, backup

3. (of a boat) having an engine that can be used to supplement the sails:

   an auxiliary yawl.

4. giving support; serving as an aid; helpful:

   The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other. Passion is auxiliary to art.

noun

, plural aux·il·ia·ries.

1. a person or thing that gives aid of any kind; helper.

   Synonyms: help, assistant, ally, aide

2. an organization allied with, but subsidiary to, a main body of restricted membership, especially one composed of members' relatives:

   The men's club and the ladies' auxiliary were merged into one organization.

3. auxiliary verb.
4. auxiliaries, foreign troops in the service of a nation at war.
5. Navy. a naval vessel designed for other than combat purposes, as a tug, supply ship, or transport.
6. Nautical. a sailing vessel carrying an auxiliary propulsion engine or engines.

auxiliary

/ -ˈzɪlə-; ɔːɡˈzɪljərɪ /

adjective

1. secondary or supplementary
2. supporting
3. nautical (of a sailing vessel) having an engine

   an auxiliary sloop

noun

1. a person or thing that supports or supplements; subordinate or assistant
2. nautical
   1. a sailing vessel with an engine
   2. the engine of such a vessel
3. navy a vessel such as a tug, hospital ship, etc, not used for combat

Word History and Origins

Origin of auxiliary¹

1595–1605; < Latin auxiliārius assisting, aiding, helping, equivalent to auxili ( um ) aid, help ( aux ( us ) increased, augmented (past participle of augēre: aug- increase + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix) + -ilium noun suffix) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of auxiliary¹

C17: from Latin auxiliārius bringing aid, from auxilium help, from augēre to increase, enlarge, strengthen

Example Sentences

Originally used as an auxiliary power unit for a commercial airliner, it has been turned into a testbed for new fuels developed in a laboratory next door.

From BBC

But the passage of state Senate Bill 972 two years ago created a potentially game-changing new category, the “auxiliary” grill cart.

From Los Angeles Times

Miles’ growing enthusiasm for agility coincided with a newfound sense of purpose in other aspects of his life, especially when he appointed himself to an auxiliary role in Longnecker’s riding lessons.

From Seattle Times

Anyone in the auxiliary press room that night could see how much Williams had left on the field.

From Los Angeles Times

A crew was building an auxiliary parking lot for the house last spring when the operator of an excavator, Greg Crawley, spotted the head in dirt he had lifted.

From New York Times