subordinate

[ adjective noun suh-bawr-dn-it; verb suh-bawr-dn-eyt ]

adjective

1. placed in or belonging to a lower order or rank.
2. of less importance; secondary.

   Synonyms: ancillary

   Antonyms: primary, superior

3. subject to or under the authority of a superior.
4. subservient or inferior.
5. subject; dependent.
6. Grammar.
   1. acting as a modifier, as when I finished, which is subordinate to They were glad in They were glad when I finished.
   2. noting or pertaining to a subordinating conjunction.
7. Obsolete. submissive.

noun

1. a subordinate person or thing.

   Synonyms: inferior

verb (used with object)

, sub·or·di·nat·ed, sub·or·di·nat·ing.

1. to place in a lower order or rank.

   Synonyms: reduce, lower

2. to make secondary (usually followed by to ):

   to subordinate work to pleasure.

3. to make subject, subservient, or dependent (usually followed by to ):

   to subordinate passion to reason.

subordinate

adjective

1. of lesser order or importance
2. under the authority or control of another

   a subordinate functionary

noun

1. a person or thing that is subordinate

verb

1. to put in a lower rank or position (than)
2. to make subservient

   to subordinate mind to heart

Derived Forms

• subˈordinative, adjective
• subˈordinately, adverb
• subˌordiˈnation, noun

Other Words From

• sub·ordi·nate·ly adverb
• sub·ordi·nate·ness noun
• sub·ordi·nation sub·or·di·na·cy [s, uh, -, bawr, -dn-, uh, -see], noun
• sub·or·di·na·tive [s, uh, -, bawr, -dn-ey-tiv, -, bawr, -dn-, uh, -], adjective
• nonsub·ordi·nate adjective
• nonsub·ordi·nating adjective
• presub·ordi·nate verb (used with object) presubordinated presubordinating
• self-sub·ordi·nating adjective
• unsub·ordi·nate adjective
• unsub·ordi·native adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of subordinate¹

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; sub-, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of subordinate¹

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

Example Sentences

Messonnier has told colleagues that, not being a virologist or laboratory specialist, she relied on subordinates with greater subject-matter expertise.

From Washington Post

Because my parents had the same kind of job, I never considered one of their careers as subordinate to the other.

From Quanta Magazine

Pichai quietly withdrew from the board in 2018 and installed a Google subordinate in his place.

From Fortune

Distill it down, and Greenlight is a way for parents to move money from one account to a subordinate—a role that several money-transfer services already fulfill with Square’s Cash App and PayPal’s Venmo.

From Fortune

Same-sex unions would not have opted into the pattern of marriage, which was a relationship, a dominant and a subordinate relationship.

From Washington Blade

That is where the subordinate gangs like Big Hazard come in.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, the committee is composed of pastors who are subordinate to Driscoll and were not elected by their fellow pastors.

From The Daily Beast

Maria Zhang was sued by a female subordinate who claimed she was forced to have sex with her to keep her job.

From The Daily Beast

Tech PR firm OpenCommunications was hit with claims that its CEO made unwelcome advances toward a subordinate.

From The Daily Beast

The individual, even if royal, was subordinate to a larger group.

From The Daily Beast

Bessires was included because he would never win it at any later date, but his doglike devotion made him a priceless subordinate.

From Project Gutenberg

So far Murat had always held subordinate commands; his great ambition was to become the commander-in-chief of an independent army.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1800 Massna took his trusty subordinate with him to Italy as lieutenant-general of the centre of the army.

From Project Gutenberg

An appeal by a member of a subordinate lodge from a vote of expulsion does not abate by his death while the appeal is pending.

From Project Gutenberg

On the following day he was deprived of his office, and degraded to the rank of subordinate to a new steward.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aide
• assistant
• deputy
• servant
• underling