Auxiliary Definition
ôg-zĭlyə-rē, -zĭlə-rē
auxiliaries
adjective
Giving assistance or support; helping.
American Heritage
Giving help or aid; assisting or supporting.
Webster's New World
Acting as a subsidiary; supplementary.
The main library and its auxiliary branches.
American Heritage
Acting in a subsidiary, or subordinate, capacity.
Webster's New World
Held in or used as a reserve.
Auxiliary troops; an auxiliary power generator.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
noun
auxiliaries
An individual or group that assists or functions in a supporting capacity.
A volunteers' auxiliary at a hospital.
American Heritage
An auxiliary person or thing.
Webster's New World
A member of a foreign body of troops serving a country in war.
American Heritage
Foreign or allied armed forces aiding those of a country at war.
Webster's New World
An auxiliary verb.
American Heritage
Other Word Forms of Auxiliary
Noun
Singular:
auxiliaryPlural:
auxiliariesOrigin of Auxiliary
-
From Latin auxiliārius (“assistant, ally”), equiv. to auxiliāris (“helping, aiding”), from auxilium (“help, aid”), from augēre (“to increase”).
From Wiktionary
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Middle English from Latin auxiliārius from auxilium help aug- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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