subordinate

UK: /səˈbɔː^rdɪnət/

US: /adj., n. səˈbɔrdənɪt; v. -dəˌneɪt/

US: (adj., n. sə bôr′dn it; v. sə bôr′dn āt′)

Inflections of 'subordinate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

subordinates

v 3rd person singular

subordinating

v pres p

subordinated

v past

subordinated

v past p

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

sub•or•di•nate /adj., n. səˈbɔrdənɪt; v. -dəˌneɪt/   adj., n., v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing. 
adj. 

1. being in a lower order or rank:
   He had to accept a subordinate post in the new administration.
2. of less importance;
   secondary:
   In some colleges teaching is considered subordinate to publications.
3. Grammar acting as a modifier in a grammatical construction, as when I finished in
   They were glad when I finished.

n. [countable]

4. a subordinate person or thing:
   He's a subordinate to the district attorney.

v. [~ + object (+ to)]

5. to place in a lower order or rank;
   make secondary:
   He subordinated his desires for wealth to the opportunity to spend time with his family.

sub•or•di•na•tion /səˌbɔrdəˈneɪʃən/  n. [uncountable] See -ord-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sub•or•di•nate  (adj., n. sə bôr′dn it;v. sə bôr′dn āt′), 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. Grammar
   • acting as a modifier, as when I finished, which is subordinate to They were glad in They were glad when I finished.
   • noting or pertaining to a subordinating conjunction.
7. [Obs.] submissive.

n. 

8. a subordinate person or thing.

v.t. 

9. to place in a lower order or rank.
10. to make secondary (usually fol. by to):
    to subordinate work to pleasure.
11. to make subject, subservient, or dependent (usually fol. by to):
    to subordinate passion to reason.

• Medieval Latin subōrdinātus past participle of subōrdināre to subordinate, equivalent. to Latin sub- sub- + ōrdin- (stem of ōrdō) rank, order + -ātus -ate¹
• late Middle English (adjective, adjectival) 1425–75

sub•or′di•nate•ly, adv. 
sub•or′di•nate•ness, n. 
sub•or′di•na′tion, sub•or•di•na•cy  (sə bôr′dn ə sē), n.  sub•or•di•na•tive  (sə bôr′dn ā′tiv, -bôr′dn ə-), adj.  Synonyms

• 2. ancillary.
• 8. inferior, subject.
• 9. lower, reduce.

Antonyms

• 2. superior; primary.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

subordinate adjective / səˈbɔːdɪnɪt/

1. of lesser order or importance
2. under the authority or control of another: a subordinate functionary

noun / səˈbɔːdɪnɪt/

1. a person or thing that is subordinate

verb / səˈbɔːdɪˌneɪt/(transitive) usually followed by to:

1. to put in a lower rank or position (than)
2. to make subservient: to subordinate mind to heart

Etymology: 15th Century: from Medieval Latin subordināre, from Latin sub- + ordō rank

subˈordinately adverb

subˌordiˈnation, subˈordinateness noun

subˈordinative adjective