Dictionary


sub•or•di•nate



Pronunciation: (
—adj., n.su-bôr'dn-it;
—v.su-bôr'dn-āt"), [key]
—adj., n., v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing.

—adj.
1. placed in or belonging to a lower order or rank.
2. of less importance; secondary.
3. subject to or under the authority of a superior.
4. subservient or inferior.
5. subject; dependent.
6. Gram.
a. acting as a modifier, as when I finished, which is subordinate to They were glad in They were glad when I finished.
b. noting or pertaining to a subordinating conjunction.
7. Obs.submissive.

—n.
a subordinate person or thing.

—v.t.
1. to place in a lower order or rank.
2. to make secondary (usually fol. by to): to subordinate work to pleasure.
3. to make subject, subservient, or dependent (usually fol. by to): to subordinate passion to reason.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

subordinalsubordinate clause
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