secondary

noun

(ornithology) Any flight feather attached to the ulna (forearm) of a bird.

(aviation) A radar return generated by the response of an aircraft's transponder to an interrogation signal broadcast by a radar installation, containing additional encoded identification and situational data not available from a simple primary return.

(military) The second stage of a multistage thermonuclear weapon, which generates a fusion explosion when imploded as an indirect result of the fission explosion of the primary, and which, in a few extremely large weapons, itself implodes a fusion tertiary.

(finance) An act of issuing more stock by an already publicly traded corporation.

(American football, Canadian football) The defensive backs.

(electronics) An inductive coil or loop that is magnetically powered by a primary in a transformer or similar.

One who occupies a subordinate or auxiliary place; a delegate deputy.

(astronomy) A secondary circle.

(astronomy) A satellite.

(education) A secondary school.

Anything secondary or of lesser importance.

Ellipsis of secondary colour. [(British spelling) Any of three colours derived from mixing two primary colours.]

adjective

Next in order to the first or primary; of second place in origin, rank, etc.

Originating from a deputy or delegated person or body.

(organic chemistry) Derived from a parent compound by replacement of two atoms of hydrogen by organic radicals.

(geology) Produced by alteration or deposition subsequent to the formation of the original rock mass.

(geology) Developed by pressure or other causes.

(anatomy) Pertaining to the second joint of the wing of a bird.

(medicine) Dependent or consequent upon another disease, or occurring in the second stage of a disease.

Of less than primary importance.

(education) Related to secondary education, i.e. schooling between the ages of (approximately) 11 and 18.

(manufacturing) Relating to the manufacture of goods from raw materials.

(of a color) Formed by mixing primary colors.

(taxonomy, not comparable) Representing a reversion to an ancestral state.

Roots

sequorsecond- · Latin · follow

Synonyms for secondary

primaryadj tertiaryadj ancillaryadj

Words related to secondary

secondarinessn nonaryadj duodenaryadj primogenial elementaryadj mainadj senaryadj septenaryn principaladj elementarinessn schoolsn principalshipn quinaryadj principatev octonaryn tertial

Synonyms & related words for secondary

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of secondary — including primary, tertiary, ancillary. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to secondary

Explore words related to secondary — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include secondariness, nonary, duodenary, primogenial, elementary, main, senary, septenary. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for secondary

Common synonyms for secondary include primary, tertiary, ancillary — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does secondary come from?

The word secondary breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root second-, from Latin sequor (“follow”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.