subcontractor

UK: /ˌsʌbkənˈtræktə^r/

US: (sub kon′trak tər, sub′kon′-, sub′kən trak′tər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sub•con•trac•tor  (sub kon′trak tər, sub′kon′-, sub′kən trak′tər), n. 

1. [Law.] a person who or business that contracts to provide some service or material necessary for the performance of another's contract.
2. a person or business firm contracted to do part of another's work.

• sub- + contractor 1835–45

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

subcontractor / ˌsʌbkənˈtræktə/ noun

1. a person, company, etc, that enters into a subcontract, esp a firm that undertakes to complete part of another's contract

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sub•con•tract /sʌbˈkɑntrækt, ˈsʌbˌkɑn-; v. also ˌsʌbkənˈtrækt/   n. [countable]

1. Law a contract by which one agrees to provide services or materials necessary to complete another's contract.

v. 

2. Law to make a subcontract (for): [no object]
   At first he subcontracted, then he went into business for himself.
   [~ + object]
   We'll subcontract the typing to another company.

sub•con•trac•tor, n. 

[countable] to hire a subcontractor to do the remodeling.

See -trac-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sub•con•tract  (n. sub kon′trakt, sub′kon′-;v. sub′kən trakt′), [Law.]
n. 

1. Law a contract by which one agrees to render services or to provide materials necessary for the performance of another contract.

v.t. 

2. Law to make a subcontract for.

v.i. 

3. Law to make a subcontract.

• sub- + contract 1595–1605