Dictionary

1subordinate

adjective sub·or·di·nate \sə-ˈbr-də-nət, -ˈbrd-nət\

: in a position of less power or authority than someone else

: less important than someone or something else

Full Definition of SUBORDINATE

1
:  placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position :  inferior <a subordinate officer>
2
:  submissive to or controlled by authority
3
a :  of, relating to, or constituting a clause that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb
b :  subordinating
sub·or·di·nate·ly adverb
sub·or·di·nate·ness noun
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Examples of SUBORDINATE

  1. About two-thirds of the way through, this nonsense comes to life for fifteen minutes when the point of view shifts to that of a subordinate character, an aging thug (well played by Laurence Fishburne) who is employed by the casino to spot card counters. —Richard Alleva, Commonweal, May 9, 2008

Origin of SUBORDINATE

Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subordinatus, past participle of subordinare to subordinate, from Latin sub- + ordinare to order — more at ordain
First Known Use: 15th century

2subordinate

noun sub·or·di·nate \sə-ˈbr-də-nət, -ˈbrd-nət\

: someone who has less power or authority than someone else : someone who is subordinate to someone else

Full Definition of SUBORDINATE

:  one who stands in order or rank below another :  one that is subordinate

Examples of SUBORDINATE

  1. Case in point: the dismissal of advertising chief Julie Roehm, accused of having an affair with a subordinate (also fired) and taking freebies from an advertising agency (also fired) in violation of company policies. —Bill Saporito, Time, 12 Nov. 2007

Origin of SUBORDINATE

(see 1subordinate)
First Known Use: 1640

Rhymes with SUBORDINATE

abbreviate, abominate, accelerate, accentuate, accommodate, acculturate, accumulate, adjudicate, adulterate, affiliate, agglomerate, alienate, alleviate, alliterate, amalgamate, ameliorate, amyl nitrate, annihilate, annunciate, anticipate, apostolate, appreciate, appropriate, approximate, arpeggiate, articulate, asphyxiate, assassinate, asseverate, assimilate, associate, at any rate, attenuate, authenticate, barbiturate, bicarbonate, calumniate, capacitate, capitulate, catholicate, certificate, coagulate, coelenterate, collaborate, commemorate, commiserate, communicate, compassionate, concatenate, conciliate, confabulate, confederate, conglomerate, congratulate, consolidate, contaminate, cooperate, coordinate, corroborate, deactivate, debilitate, decapitate, decelerate, decerebrate, deconcentrate, deconsecrate, decorticate, decrepitate, de-escalate, defibrinate, defoliate, degenerate, deliberate, delineate, demodulate, denominate, depopulate, depreciate, deracinate, deregulate, desegregate, desiderate, detoxicate, devaluate, diaconate, dilapidate, discriminate, disintegrate, disseminate, dissimulate, dissociate, domesticate, effectuate, ejaculate, elaborate, electroplate, eliminate, elucidate, emaciate, emancipate, emasculate, encapsulate, enumerate, enunciate, episcopate, equivocate, eradicate, etiolate, evacuate, evaluate, evaporate, eventuate, eviscerate, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, excited state, excogitate, excoriate, exfoliate, exhilarate, exonerate, expatiate, expatriate, expectorate, expostulate, expropriate, extenuate, exterminate, extrapolate, facilitate, felicitate, fish or cut bait, garrison state, gesticulate, habilitate, habituate, hallucinate, humiliate, hydrogenate, hypothecate, illuminate, impersonate, inactivate, inaugurate, incarcerate, incinerate, incorporate, incriminate, indoctrinate, inebriate, infatuate, infuriate, ingratiate, ingurgitate, initiate, inoculate, inseminate, insinuate, instantiate, intercalate, interpolate, interrelate, interrogate, intimidate, intoxicate, invalidate, investigate, invigorate, irradiate, Italianate, Korea Strait, lanceolate, legitimate, luxuriate, mandarinate, manipulate, matriarchate, matriculate, Merthiolate, necessitate, negotiate, noncandidate, obliterate, officiate, Orange Free State, orientate, originate, oxygenate, participate, particulate, patriarchate, patriciate, perambulate, peregrinate, perpetuate, pontificate, precipitate, predestinate, predominate, prefabricate, premeditate, preponderate, prevaricate, procrastinate, prognosticate, proliferate, propitiate, proportionate, quadruplicate, quintuplicate, reciprocate, recriminate, recuperate, redecorate, reduplicate, reeducate, refrigerate, regenerate, regurgitate, reincarnate, reintegrate, reiterate, rejuvenate, remunerate, repatriate, repudiate, resuscitate, retaliate, reticulate, revaluate, reverberate, scholasticate, second estate, self-flagellate, self-immolate, self-pollinate, seventy-eight, sextuplicate, Singapore Strait, sophisticate, substantiate, syllabicate, tergiversate, transliterate, triangulate, vanity plate, variegate, vaticinate, vituperate, vociferate

3subordinate

transitive verb sub·or·di·nate \sə-ˈbr-də-ˌnāt\

: to think of or treat (someone or something) as less important than someone or something else

sub·or·di·nat·edsub·or·di·nat·ing

Full Definition of SUBORDINATE

1
:  to make subject or subservient
2
:  to treat as of less value or importance <stylist … whose crystalline prose subordinates content to form — Susan Heath>
sub·or·di·na·tion \-ˌbr-də-ˈnā-shən\ noun
sub·or·di·na·tive \-ˈbr-də-ˌnā-tiv\ adjective

Examples of SUBORDINATE

  1. Clinton administration Trade Representative Mickey Kantor declared: The days when we could afford to subordinate our economic interests to foreign policy or defense concerns are long past. —Lawrence F. Kaplan, New Republic, 18 Mar. 2002

Origin of SUBORDINATE

Medieval Latin subordinatus (see 1subordinate)
First Known Use: 1597
SUBORDINATION Defined for Kids

1subordinate

adjective sub·or·di·nate \sə-ˈbr-də-nət\

Definition of SUBORDINATE for Kids

1
:  being in a lower class or rank :  inferior <a subordinate officer>
2
:  yielding to or controlled by authority

2subordinate

noun

Definition of SUBORDINATE for Kids

:  someone who has less power or authority than someone else

3subordinate

verb sub·or·di·nate \sə-ˈbr-də-ˌnāt\
sub·or·di·nat·edsub·or·di·nat·ing

Definition of SUBORDINATE for Kids

:  to treat as inferior in rank or importance

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