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subordinate. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
subordinate, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
subordinate in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
subordinate you have here. The definition of the word
subordinate will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
subordinate, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, from sub- + ōrdināre (“to order”).
Pronunciation
- Adjective and Noun
- Verb
Adjective
subordinate (comparative more subordinate, superlative most subordinate)
- Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
1695, John Woodward, “(please specify the page)”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: , London: Ric Wilkin , →OCLC:The several kinds […] and subordinate species of each are easily known.
- Synonym: lesser
- Antonyms: superior, superordinate
- Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.
- November 9, 1662, Robert South, Of the Creation of Man in the Image of God
- It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.
- Antonym: insubordinate
- (grammar, of a clause, not comparable) dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause
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”.
- Synonym: dependent
- Antonyms: independent, main
- Descending in a regular series.
Derived terms
Translations
placed in a lower class, rank, or position
submissive to or controlled by authority
- Bulgarian: подчинен (bg) (podčinen), зависим (bg) (zavisim)
- Czech: podřízený (cs) m
- Danish: underordnet (da)
- Finnish: alamainen (fi), alisteinen (fi)
- German: untergeordnet (de), nachgeordnet (de)
- Greek: εξαρτημένος (el) (exartiménos), υποτελής (el) (ypotelís)
- Ingrian: alain
- Irish: fo-ordaithe, íochtaránach
- Japanese: 従属する (ja) (jūzoku suru), 付属する (ja) (jūzoku suru)
- Korean: 예속하다 (ko) (yesokhada), 예속되다 (ko) (yesokdoeda) causative, 예속적 (ko) (yesokjeok) nominal
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: ژێردەستە (jêrdeste)
- Persian: زیردست (fa), فرودست (fa)
- Portuguese: subordinado (pt) m, subordinada f
- Romanian: subordonat (ro) m
- Russian: подчинённый (ru) (podčinjónnyj)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: потчињен
- Roman: potčinjen (sh)
- Swedish: underordnad (sv)
- Turkish: tabi (tr)
- Ukrainian: підпорядко́ваний (pidporjadkóvanyj), підле́глий (pidléhlyj)
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Noun
subordinate (plural subordinates)
- (countable) One who is subordinate.
- Synonyms: inferior, junior, report, underling, understrapper
- Antonyms: boss, commander, leader, manager, superior, supervisor
Translations
Verb
subordinate (third-person singular simple present subordinates, present participle subordinating, simple past and past participle subordinated)
- (transitive) To make subservient.
- (transitive) To treat as of less value or importance.
- Synonyms: belittle, denigrate
- (transitive, finance) To make of lower priority in order of payment in bankruptcy.
Translations
to treat as of less value or importance
See also
Anagrams
Italian
Etymology 1
Adjective
subordinate
- feminine plural of subordinato
Participle
subordinate f pl
- feminine plural of subordinato
Etymology 2
Verb
subordinate
- inflection of subordinare:
- second-person plural present indicative
- second-person plural imperative
Latin
Pronunciation
Verb
subōrdināte
- second-person plural present active imperative of subōrdinō
Spanish
Verb
subordinate
- second-person singular voseo imperative of subordinar combined with te