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subordinate Definition

sub·or·di·nate (sə bôrd′'n it; for v., -bôr′də nāt′)

adjective

  1. inferior to or placed below another in rank, power, importance, etc.; secondary
  2. under the power or authority of another
  3. subservient or submissive
  4. Gram. having the function of a noun, adjective, or adverb within a sentence a subordinate phrase

Etymology: ME < ML subordinatus, pp. of subordinare < L sub-, under + ordinare, to order: see ordain

noun

a subordinate person or thing

transitive verb -·nat′ed, -·nat′·ing

  1. to place in a subordinate position; treat as less important or inferior (to)
  2. to make obedient or subservient (to); control; subdue

subordinate Related Forms
sub·or′·di·nately adverb sub·or′·di·na′·tive adjective
subordinate Synonyms

subordinate

n.

underling, junior, subaltern, assistant, helper, aide; see also assistant.

subordinate Synonyms

subordinate

modif.

inferior, junior, smaller, sub, low, baser, underaverage, insignificant, subnormal, paltry, playing second fiddle, not hold a candle to, not up to snuff, below par, below the mark, unequal to, not comparable to, in the shade, nothing to brag about, at a low ebb, lower, minor, depending on, lower in rank, subject, subservient, being a satellite, submissive, subsidiary, accessory, auxiliary, ancillary; see also secondary 1, under 2, 3.

Antonyms superior*, higher*, excellent.

subordinate Usage Examples

Object

  • conjunction: Subordinating conjunctions are distinguished in the lexicon by the label " S " rather than " C " .
  • interest: Thus, the Party System subordinates the wider interests of society to the interests of the parties.

Adjective modifier

  • immediate: The List Operation The List operation is used to list the immediate subordinates of an entry.

Modifies a noun

  • clause: The ' subordinate clauses ' are marked in green.
  • commander: He holds each subordinate commander responsible for the actions of his unit.
  • legislation: Any change would be made through the subordinate legislation.
  • battalion: In some cases, the items may be distributed by throughput distribution from the theater, corps, or division to subordinate battalions.
  • headquarters: The alternate CP may be the TAC CP, or a subordinate troop headquarters.
  • unit: The brigade tasks a subordinate unit to provide unit support.

Modifying Another Word

  • strictly: It was a privilege for them to live in Athens, and they were welcome enough, but on strictly subordinate terms.
  • directly: The brigade was not part of WGF, but had been directly subordinate to the Warsaw Pact, i.e. the Russians, and Moscow.
  • entirely: The most significant difference between a village and a hamlet is that the latter is ritually entirely subordinated to the village.
  • immediately: Actual entries immediately subordinate to the root, are called First Level entries.
  • increasingly: The challenges are enormous: the European institutions are increasingly subordinating development to foreign policy priorities.
  • clearly: Second, the Clinton administration's conversion policy is also clearly subordinate to its continued emphasis on military security and power projection.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: The Order in Wales remained subordinate to the English Prior.
  • become: National constitutions would become legally subordinate, both speakers contended.
  • make: Everything is made subordinate to the overmastering dictates of war.
  • see: Complex mathematics was seen as subordinate to the needs of the practicing engineer.

Preposition: of

  • entry: The List Operation The List operation is used to list the immediate subordinates of an entry.
subordinate Quotes

Sport, rightly conceived, is an occupation carried out by the whole man. It renders the body a more perfect instrument of the soul and at the same time makes the soul itself a finer instrument of the whole man in seeking forTruth and in transmitting it to others. In this way it helps a man to reach that End to which all other ends are subordinate, the service and the greater glory of his Creator.

—Pius XII real name Eugenio Pacelli