Dictionary
1secondary
adjective sec·ond·ary \ˈse-kən-ˌder-ē\
: not as important or valuable as something else
: of or relating to education of students who have completed primary school
: caused by or coming from something else
Full Definition of SECONDARY
1
a : of second rank, importance, or value b : of, relating to, or constituting the second strongest of the three or four degrees of stress recognized by most linguists <the fourth syllable of basketball team carries secondary stress> c of a tense : expressive of past time
2
a : immediately derived from something original, primary, or basic b : of, relating to, or being the induced current or its circuit in an induction coil or transformer <secondary voltage> c : characterized by or resulting from the substitution of two atoms or groups in a molecule <a secondary salt>; especially : being, characterized by, or attached to a carbon atom having bonds to two other carbon atoms d (1) : not first in order of occurrence or development (2) : dependent or consequent on another disease or condition <secondary hypertension> (3) : produced by activity of formative tissue and especially cambium other than that at a growing point <secondary growth> <secondary phloem>
3
a : of, relating to, or being the second order or stage in a series b : of, relating to, or being the second segment of the wing of a bird or the quills of this segment c : of or relating to a secondary school <secondary education>
— sec·ond·ar·i·ly \ˌse-kən-ˈder-ə-lē\ adverb
— sec·ond·ar·i·ness \ˈse-kən-ˌder-ē-nəs\ noun
See secondary defined for English-language learners
See secondary defined for kids
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First Known Use of SECONDARY
14th century
Related to SECONDARY
- Synonyms
- derivative, secondhand
2secondary
noun
American football : the players on the defense who are positioned away from the line of scrimmage and who mainly try to stop forward passes by the offense
plural secondar·ies
Full Definition of SECONDARY
1
: one occupying a subordinate or auxiliary position rather than that of a principal
2
: a defensive football backfield
3
: the coil through which the secondary current passes in an induction coil or transformer —called also secondary coil
4
: any of the quill feathers of the forearm of a bird — see wing illustration
See secondary defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of SECONDARY
15th century
SECONDARY[1] Defined for Kids
secondary
adjective sec·ond·ary \ˈse-kən-ˌder-ē\
Definition of SECONDARY for Kids
1
: second in rank, value, or importance <We need to find water. Food is secondary.>
2
: derived from or coming after something original or primary <a secondary effect>
3
: relating to secondary school <a secondary education>
4
: relating to or being the second of three levels of stress in pronunciation
Medical Dictionary
secondary
adjective sec·ond·ary \ˈsek-ən-ˌder-ē\
Medical Definition of SECONDARY
1
: not first in order of occurrence or development: as a : dependent or consequent on another disease <secondary diabetes> <Bright's disease is often secondary to scarlet fever> b : occurring or being in the second stage <secondary symptoms of syphilis> c : occurring some time after the original injury <a secondary hemorrhage>
2
: characterized by or resulting from the substitution of two atoms or groups in a molecule <a secondary salt>; especially : being, characterized by, or attached to a carbon atom having bonds to two other carbon atoms
3
—sec·ond·ari·ly \ˌsek-ən-ˈder-ə-lē\ adverb
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