subordinate
/sə'bɔ:dnit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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).
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
- (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
- subject or submissive to authority or the control of another
- a subordinate kingdom
- lower in rank or importance
Noun
- a word that is more specific than a given word
- an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
Verb
- make subordinate, dependent, or subservient
- Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler
- rank or order as less important or consider of less value
- Art is sometimes subordinated to Science in these schools