subordinate

CEFRB2

/səˈbɔːdɪnət/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Lower in rank or importance.

  2. 02

    noun

    A person who has a lower position than someone else.

Examples

  • All the other issues are subordinate to this one.

  • I was stabbed in the back by my subordinate.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
1
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /səˈboːdɪnət/
  • /səˈbɔːdɪneɪt/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause

  2. Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.

  3. Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.

More examples

In context

  • November 9, 1662, Robert South, Of the Creation of Man in the Image of God It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.

  • In the sentence “The barbecue finished before John arrived”, the subordinate clause “before John arrived” specifies the time of the main clause, “The barbecue finished”.

  • The several kinds […] and subordinate species of each are easily known.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The colonel gave orders to his blank, who then passed them to the soldiers.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

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