Adjacent Words

Subordinate definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SUBOR'DINATE, a. [L. sub and ordinatus, from ordo, order.]
1. Inferior in order,in nature, in dignity, in power, importance, etc.; as subordinate officers.
It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.
2. Descending in a regular series.
The several kinds and subordinate species of each, are easily distinguished.
SUBOR'DINATE, v.t. To place in order or rank below something else; to make or consider as of less value or importance; as, to subordinate one creature to another; to subordinate temporal to spiritual things.
1. To make subject; as, to subordinate the passions to reason.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: lower in rank or importance [syn: subordinate, low- level] [ant: dominant]
2: subject or submissive to authority or the control of another; "a subordinate kingdom" [ant: insubordinate]
3: (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence; "a subordinate (or dependent) clause functions as a noun or adjective or adverb within a sentence" [syn: dependent, subordinate] [ant: independent, main] n
1: an assistant subject to the authority or control of another [syn: subordinate, subsidiary, underling, foot soldier]
2: a word that is more specific than a given word [syn: hyponym, subordinate, subordinate word] v
1: rank or order as less important or consider of less value; "Art is sometimes subordinated to Science in these schools"
2: make subordinate, dependent, or subservient; "Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler" [syn: subordinate, subdue]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subordinatus, past participle of subordinare to subordinate, from Latin sub- + ordinare to order — more at ordain Date: 15th century 1. placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position ; inferior <a subordinate officer> 2. submissive to or controlled by authority 3. a. of, relating to, or constituting a clause that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb b. subordinating • subordinately adverb • subordinateness noun II. noun Date: 1640 one that is subordinate III. transitive verb (-nated; -nating) Etymology: Medieval Latin subordinatus Date: 1597 1. to make subject or subservient 2. to treat as of less value or importance <stylist…whose crystalline prose subordinates content to form — Susan Heath> • subordination noun • subordinative adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., n., & v. --adj. (usu. foll. by to) of inferior importance or rank; secondary, subservient. --n. a person working under another's control or orders. --v.tr. (usu. foll. by to) 1 make subordinate; treat or regard as of minor importance. 2 make subservient. Phrases and idioms: subordinate clause a clause serving as an adjective, adverb, or noun in a main sentence because of its position or a preceding conjunction. Derivatives: subordinately adv. subordination n. subordinative adj. Etymology: med.L subordinare, subordinat- (as SUB-, L ordinare ordain)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Subordinate Sub*or"di*nate, n. One who stands in order or rank below another; -- distinguished from a principal. --Milton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Subordinate Sub*or"di*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Subordinated; p. pr. & vb. n. Subordinating.] 1. To place in a lower order or class; to make or consider as of less value or importance; as, to subordinate one creature to another. 2. To make subject; to subject or subdue; as, to subordinate the passions to reason. -- Sub*or"di*nate*ly, adv. -- Sub*or"di*nate*ness, n.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Subordinate Sub*or"di*nate, a. [Pref. sub + L. ordinatus, p. p. of ordinare to set in order, to arrange. See Ordain.] 1. Placed in a lower order, class, or rank; holding a lower or inferior position. The several kinds and subordinate species of each are easily distinguished. --Woodward. 2. Inferior in order, nature, dignity, power, importance, or the like. It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding. --South.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(subordinated) 1. If someone is your subordinate, they have a less important position than you in the organization that you both work for. Haig tended not to seek guidance from subordinates... ? superior N-COUNT: oft poss N 2. Someone who is subordinate to you has a less important position than you and has to obey you. Sixty of his subordinate officers followed his example... Women were regarded as subordinate to free men. ? superior ADJ: oft ADJ to n 3. Something that is subordinate to something else is less important than the other thing. It was an art in which words were subordinate to images. ADJ: oft ADJ to n 4. If you subordinate something to another thing, you regard it or treat it as less important than the other thing. He was both willing and able to subordinate all else to this aim. VERB: V n to n • subordination ...the social subordination of women. N-UNCOUNT: oft N of/to n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. Inferior, subservient, subject, ancillary, minor, secondary. II. n. 1. Inferior, dependant. 2. Inferior, subject, subservient. III. v. a. Subject, make subordinate, make subservient.

Moby Thesaurus

accessory, adjuvant, aide, assistant, assort, auxiliary, below, beneath, bolt, categorize, classify, client, cog, collate, collateral, common, commonality, commonalty, contributory, creature, demeaning, dependent, deprive of freedom, disadvantaged, disenfranchise, disfranchise, divide, dominate, employee, enslave, enthrall, feudal, feudatory, flunky, follower, gradate, grade, group, hanger-on, helper, hireling, hoi polloi, hold captive, hold down, hold in bondage, hold in captivity, hold in leash, hold in subjection, homager, humble, in the shade, inferior, infra dig, junior, keep down, keep under, lackey, lead captive, less, lesser, liege, liege man, lightweight, low, lower, lower class, lower orders, lowly, make dependent, masses, minion, minor, modest, myrmidon, next to, ordinary, pawn, peon, peonize, poor relation, rank, retainer, riddle, right-hand man, satellite, screen, scrub, second fiddle, second rank, second string, secondary, separate, serf, servant, servile, sieve, sift, size, slave, sort, sort out, staffer, stooge, sub, subaltern, subject, subjugate, subordinate to, subservient, subsidiary, supplementary, take captive, third rank, third string, third stringer, tributary, under, underling, underprivileged, understrapper, vassal, vassalize, vulgar, yeoman, yes-man