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secondary
[ sek-uhn-der-ee ]
adjective
- next after the first in order, place, time, etc.
- belonging or pertaining to a second order, division, stage, period, rank, grade, etc.
- dependent on or generated by something more basic; derivative.
- (in scholarly studies) pertaining to or being a derived or derivative account, an evaluation of original data, etc.; not primary or original, as in secondary source secondary research
- of minor or lesser importance; subordinate; auxiliary.
Synonyms: , ,
- of or relating to secondary schools.
- Chemistry.
- involving or obtained by the replacement of two atoms or groups.
- noting or containing a carbon atom united to two other carbon atoms in a chain or ring molecule.
- Electricity. noting or pertaining to the current induced by a primary winding or to the winding in which the current is induced in an induction coil, transformer, or the like.
- Geology. noting or pertaining to a mineral produced from another mineral by decay, alteration, or the like.
- Grammar.
- (of a derivative) having a root or other unanalyzable element that is itself a word or free form:
The word “glazier” is a secondary derivative formed by adding a suffix to “glaze.” The word "debatably" is formed directly from "debatable" and is therefore a secondary derivative from "debate."
- having reference to past time; noting or pertaining to a past tense: Compare primary ( def 13 ).
the Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit secondary tenses.
- Ornithology. pertaining to any of a set of flight feathers on the second segment of a bird's wing.
- Linguistics. of, relating to, or characteristic of a secondary accent:
secondary stress.
noun
- a person or thing that is secondary.
- a subordinate, assistant, deputy, or agent.
- Electricity. a winding in a transformer or the like in which a current is induced by a primary winding.
- Ornithology. a secondary feather.
- Football. the defensive unit that lines up behind the linemen.
- Linguistics. secondary accent.
secondary
/ -drɪ; ˈsɛkəndərɪ /
adjective
- one grade or step after the first; not primary
- derived from or depending on what is primary, original, or first
a secondary source
- below the first in rank, importance, etc; not of major importance
- prenominal of or relating to the education of young people between the ages of 11 and 18
secondary education
- (of the flight feathers of a bird's wing) growing from the ulna
- being the part of an electric circuit, such as a transformer or induction coil, in which a current is induced by a changing current in a neighbouring coil
a secondary coil
- (of a current) flowing in such a circuit Compare primary
- geology (of minerals) formed by the alteration of pre-existing minerals
- chem
- (of an organic compound) having a functional group attached to a carbon atom that is attached to one hydrogen atom and two other groups
- (of an amine) having only two organic groups attached to a nitrogen atom; containing the group NH
- (of a salt) derived from a tribasic acid by replacement of two acidic hydrogen atoms with metal atoms or electropositive groups
- linguistics
- derived from a word that is itself a derivation from another word. Thus, lovably comes from lovable and is a secondary derivative from love
- (of a tense in Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit) another word for historic
noun
- a person or thing that is secondary
- a subordinate, deputy, or inferior
- a secondary coil, winding, inductance, or current in an electric circuit
- ornithol any of the flight feathers that grow from the ulna of a bird's wing See primary
- astronomy a celestial body that orbits around a specified primary body
the moon is the secondary of the earth
- med a cancerous growth in some part of the body away from the site of the original tumour
- American football
- cornerbacks and safeties collectively
- their area in the field
- short for secondary colour
secondary
- Relating to a secondary color.
- Relating to or derived from either of the lateral meristems (the cork cambium or the vascular cambium ) of vascular plants. For example, secondary xylem in a stem is produced by the vascular cambium, as opposed to primary xylem produced by the apical meristem during the original growth of the stem from a seedling.
- See also secondary growth
- Relating to or having a carbon atom that is attached to two other carbon atoms in a molecule.
- Relating to an organic molecule, such as an alcohol, in which the functional group is attached to a secondary carbon.
- Relating to a medical condition that arises as a result of another disorder, disease process, or injury.
- Compare primary
Derived Forms
- ˈDzԻ岹, adverb
- ˈDzԻ岹Ա, noun
Other Word Forms
- ·DzԻ··· [sek, -, uh, n-der-, uh, -lee, sek-, uh, n-, dair, -], adverb
- oԻ·i·Ա noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of secondary1
Example Sentences
Dame Andrea said she had seen people waiting three or four years to receive a diagnosis for a child, "by which time they're going into secondary education and they're way behind."
A funky “Bodyguard” and a snippet of “II Most Wanted” then gave way to an ecstatic “Cuff It,” which Beyoncé performed on a small secondary stage near the rear of the venue.
This continues — while the odor of the lesion may draw other pregnant females to the wound, and secondary bacterial infections can arise — until treatment or the death of the animal.
They have called for knife arches, similar to the metal detectors used in courts and at airports, to be installed in secondary schools, saying they "didn't want anyone to go through what we have".
The government says seven in 10 secondary schools and 35% of primary schools in England will have to reduce the number of compulsory branded items to three, plus a branded tie for secondary students.
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