English Explanatory Dictionary

subordinate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
  2. Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.
  3. dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause
  4. Descending in a regular series.
noun
  1. One who is subordinate.
  2. A hyponym.
verb
  1. To make subservient or secondary.
  2. To embed (a clause) into another clause that is the main one.
  3. To make of lower priority in order of payment in bankruptcy.
  4. To treat (someone) as of less value or importance.

Pronunciation

sə-bôʹdĭ-nət /səˈbɔːdɪnət/ sə-bôrʹdĭ-nət /səˈbɔɹdɪnət/ /səˈboːdɪnət/ sə-bôʹdĭ-nāt /səˈbɔːdɪneɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-subordinate (verb).wav sə-bôrʹdĭ-nāt /səˈbɔɹdɪneɪt/ en-us-subordinate.ogg /səˈboːdɪnæɪt/

Word forms

subordinate more subordinate most subordinate subordinates subordinating subordinated

Etymology

From Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, from sub- + ōrdināre (“to order”).

Synonyms

lesser subaltern petty dependent inferior junior report underling understrapper belittle denigrate

Antonyms

superior superordinate insubordinate independent main boss commander leader manager supervisor hypernym hyperonym

Related words

inferior

Derived words

nonsubordinate subordinate clause subordinate court subordinate legislation subordinately subordinateness subordinate trait unsubordinate insubordinated nonsubordinated nonsubordinating resubordinate subordinatingly subordinator unsubordinated

Translations

Bulgarian: подчинявам Catalan: subordinar Czech: podřídit Esperanto: subigi Finnish: alistaa Irish: fo-ordaigh Korean: 종속시키다 Korean: 예속시키다 Portuguese: subordinar Portuguese: submeter Portuguese: subjugar Portuguese: dominar Russian: подчиня́ть Spanish: subordinar Swedish: underordna Turkish: tabi kılmak Turkish: bağımlı kılmak
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