subordinate

Plural: subordinates

Noun

• an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
• a word that is more specific than a given word
• One who is subordinate.
• A hyponym.

Verb

• rank or order as less important or consider of less value
  • "Art is sometimes subordinated to Science in these schools"
• make subordinate, dependent, or subservient
  • "Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler"
• To make subservient or secondary.
• To embed (a clause) into another clause that is the main one.
• To make subservient or secondary.
• To make of lower priority in order of payment in bankruptcy.
• To treat (someone) as of less value or importance.

Adjective

• lower in rank or importance
• subject or submissive to authority or the control of another
  • "a subordinate kingdom"
• (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence
  • "a subordinate (or dependent) clause functions as a noun or adjective or adverb within a sentence"

Adj

• Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
• Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.
• dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause
• Descending in a regular series.

Examples

• 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”.

Synonyms

dependent, foot soldier, hyponym, low-level, subdue, subordinate word, subsidiary, underling, belittle, denigrate, inferior, junior, lesser, report, subaltern, subaltern#Noun, understrapper

Antonyms

dominant, independent, insubordinate, boss, commander, hypernym, hyperonym, leader, main, manager, superior, superior#Noun, superordinate, superordinate#Noun, supervisor

Related Words

inferior

Anagrams of subordinate