Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Lower in rank or position: Describes someone or something that has less authority or importance than another.
   • Dependent on or controlled by another: Describes something that is under the authority or influence of something else.
   • (Grammar) Unable to stand alone as a complete sentence: Describes a clause that depends on a main clause to form a complete thought.

2. Noun:

   • A person under the authority or control of another: An individual who holds a lower rank or position within an organization.
   • A specific or detailed word within a category: A word that is a more specific example of a general term (a hyponym).

3. Verb:

   • To treat or regard as less important: To assign a lower rank or priority to something.
   • To make subject or subservient to authority: To bring under the control or authority of another.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • She has several subordinate managers reporting to her.
  • In the sentence "I left because it was late," "because it was late" is a subordinate clause.
• Noun:
  • The manager delegated the task to a subordinate.
  • "Oak" and "maple" are subordinates of the general term "tree."
• Verb:
  • Personal interests must sometimes be subordinated to the needs of the team.
  • The king subordinated the duchy to his direct rule.

Advanced Usage

• In a subordinate capacity: Functioning in a lower-ranking or assisting role.
  • He attended the meeting in a subordinate capacity, taking notes for his boss.
• Subordinate to: The standard preposition used with the adjective and verb forms.
  • All other considerations are subordinate to the safety of the passengers.

Variants and Related Words

• Subordination (n): The act of placing in a lower rank or the state of being subordinate.
  • The subordination of individual desires to group goals is essential.
• Subordinative (adj): Serving to connect a subordinate clause to a main clause.
  • Words like "because" and "although" are subordinative conjunctions.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Inferior, secondary, lesser, junior, dependent.
• Noun: Underling, assistant, junior, aide.
• Verb: Demote, lower, subject, defer.

Related Phrases

• Subordinate clause: (Grammar) A clause, typically introduced by a conjunction, that cannot stand alone as a sentence.
  • A subordinate clause adds information to the main clause.
• Subordinate role: A position of lesser importance or authority.
  • She accepted a subordinate role in the new project.

Adjective

1. (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
2. subject or submissive to authority or the control of another
   • a subordinate kingdom
3. lower in rank or importance

Noun

1. a word that is more specific than a given word
2. an assistant subject to the authority or control of another

Verb

1. make subordinate, dependent, or subservient
   • Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler
2. rank or order as less important or consider of less value
   • Art is sometimes subordinated to Science in these schools