Second Definition

sĕkənd
seconded, seconds
noun
seconds
Any person, thing, class, place, etc. that is second.
Webster's New World
The time needed for a cesium-133 atom to perform 9,192,631,770 complete oscillations.
American Heritage
A kind of coarse flour.
Webster's New World
The next after the first.
Webster's New World
The ordinal number matching the number 2 in a series.
American Heritage
Antonyms:
adjective
Coming next after the first in order of place or time; 2d or 2nd.
Webster's New World
Another; other; additional; supplementary.
To take a second helping.
Webster's New World
Repeating an initial instance.
A second chance.
American Heritage
Reminiscent of one that is well known.
A second George Washington; a second Waterloo.
American Heritage
Being of the same kind as another; resembling a given original.
A second Shakespeare.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
verb
seconded, seconds
To act as an aide or second to; aid; assist.
Webster's New World
To indicate formally one's approval or support of (a motion, nomination, etc.) as a necessary preliminary to discussion of or a vote on it.
Webster's New World
To give support or encouragement to; further; reinforce.
Webster's New World
To attend (a duelist or a boxer) as an aide or assistant.
American Heritage
To transfer (a military officer) from regular service to special service, civil or military.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
adverb
In the second place, rank, group, etc.
Webster's New World
But for one other; save one.
The second highest peak.
American Heritage
Just before or just short of the last thing in a series.
The second-last row.
Webster's New World
After the first occurrence but before the third occurrence.
He is batting second today.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Second

Noun

Singular:
second
Plural:
seconds

Origin of Second

  • Middle English seconde from Old French from Medieval Latin (pars minūta) secunda second (small part) feminine of Latin secundus second, following second2

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French second, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order"), from root of sequor (“I follow"), from Proto-Indo-European *sekÊ·- (“to follow").

    From Wiktionary

  • From Old French seconde, from Medieval Latin secunda, short for secunda pars minuta (“second diminished part (of the hour)")

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old French from Latin secundus sekw-1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle French seconder, from Latin secundo (“assist, make favorable")

    From Wiktionary

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