ancillary

[ an-suh-ler-eeor, especially British, an-sil-uh-ree ]

adjective

1. subordinate; secondary; subsidiary:

   Your medical coverage includes physiotherapy, eye testing, and other ancillary services.

2. auxiliary; assisting:

   The bookkeeper serves in an ancillary role, supporting the treasurer.

noun

, plural an·cil·lar·ies.

1. something that serves in an ancillary capacity:

   Downloadable ancillaries to the basic textbook, such as videos and worksheets, are on our website.

ancillary

/ ænˈsɪlərɪ /

adjective

1. subsidiary
2. auxiliary; supplementary

   ancillary services

noun

1. a subsidiary or auxiliary thing or person

   the company has an ancillary abroad

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancillary¹

First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin ancillāris “having the status of a handmaid or female servant” + -ary adjective suffix; ancilla, -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancillary¹

C17: from Latin ancillāris concerning maidservants, from ancilla, diminutive of ancūla female servant

Example Sentences

The 80-person company also plans to take its offering a step further by launching ancillary product offerings to take buyers throughout the home buying journey.

From TechCrunch

The state houses some of the most prominent firms involved in EV and EV ancillary manufacturing, including Mahindra Electric, Ather Energy, Ola Electric, and Bosch.

From Quartz

Issa and others have several times referred to the mass demonstrations and ancillary violence this summer as comparable.

From Voice of San Diego

The Federal Communications Commission told Jerry Szoka, operator of the station, to cease broadcasting and pay an ancillary $11,000 forfeiture because Grid Radio was operating without a license.

From Washington Blade

HuffPost “has been an ancillary part of any of our conversations, and it is led primarily by the lead Verizon salesperson,” said Patrick Kelly, svp and group director of digital investments at Havas Media.

From Digiday

But even as the music market goes global, the ancillary cost is a troubling conglomeratization of thought, style, and taste.

From The Daily Beast

There are ancillary benefits to donating extra campaign cash, too, Miniutti said.

From The Daily Beast

But what if winning is an ancillary goal to the financial health of the organization?

From The Daily Beast

The first round failed to achieve any progress even on ancillary issues, such as humanitarian access to the besieged city of Homs.

From The Daily Beast

The most sustainable impact—assuming there are no hitches legally—will be ancillary things like that.

From The Daily Beast

To emphasize one idea, subordinate ancillary ideas; make them take their proper rank in the sentence.

From Project Gutenberg

It was odd how the word seemed to shape the act, though one knew how ancillary it really was.

From Project Gutenberg

But as philosophy is subsidiary and ancillary, it will be sufficient to set forth what is said about the Society's theologians.

From Project Gutenberg

This is the case among the leisure class and among certain portions of the population which are ancillary to that class.

From Project Gutenberg

It is as ancillary to the predaceous impulse proper that the belief in luck expresses itself in a wager.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• additional