Secondary Definition & Meaning

secondary
adjective
  1. being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate; "the stone will be hauled to a secondary crusher"; "a secondary source"; "a secondary issue"; "secondary streams"
  2. inferior in rank or status; "the junior faculty"; "a lowly corporal"; "petty officialdom"; "a subordinate functionary"
  3. depending on or incidental to what is original or primary; "a secondary infection"
  4. not of major importance; "played a secondary role in world events"
  5. belonging to a lower class or rank
noun
  1. the defensive football players who line up behind the linemen
  2. coil such that current is induced in it by passing a current through the primary coil

Synonyms for secondary

alternate adj

every second one of a series; "the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
alternative adj

serving or used in place of another; "an alternative plan" necessitating a choice between mutually exclusive

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auxiliary adj

functioning in a supporting capacity; "the main library and its auxiliary branches" furnishing added support

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collateral adj

descended from a common ancestor but through different lines; "cousins are collateral relatives

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high adv

at a great altitude; "he climbed high on the ladder" in or to a high position, amount, or degree

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incident adj

falling or striking of light rays on something

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incidental adj

(sometimes followed by `to') minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature or occurring as a chance

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indirect adj

having intervening factors or persons or influences; "reflection from the ceiling provided a soft indirect light

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inferior adj

of or characteristic of low rank or importance of low or inferior quality written or printed below and to one side of

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junior adj

younger; lower in rank; shorter in length of tenure or service used of the third or next to final year in United States

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"Secondary" in song lyrics

See how secondary is used in real songs:

  • "When you only here you secondary"
    Army of the Pharaohs — Don't Cry
  • "Colloquial language I'll use that's secondary"
    Chubb Rock + more — The Five Deadly Venoms
  • "mary mary got no secondary"
    Coolio — Mary Jane (I'm in Love With)

Words that rhyme with secondary

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Usage tips for "secondary"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "secondary" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for secondary to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with secondary ↔ Synonyms for secondary 🔬 Words containing secondary

Frequently asked questions

What does secondary mean?
being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate; "the stone will be hauled to a secondary crusher"; "a secondary source"; "a secondary issue"; "secondary streams" inferior in rank or status; "the junior faculty"; "a lowly corporal"; "petty officialdom"; "a subordinate functionary" depending on or incidental to what is original or primary; "a secondary infection" not of major importance
What part of speech is secondary?
Secondary is an adjective and a noun.
How many definitions does secondary have?
Secondary has 7 definitions across 2 parts of speech (adjective, noun).

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