Standard Lemma guide

secondary

adj · noun · 31 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈsɛkənd(ə)ɹɪ/
  • US: /ˈsɛkənˌdɛɹi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S EH1 K AH0 N D EH2 R IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Originating from a deputy or delegated person or body.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Examples

  • the work of secondary hands

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Developed by pressure or other causes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences

Examples

  • secondary cleavage

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Pertaining to the second joint of the wing of a bird.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: medicine, sciences

Examples

  • Bright's disease is often secondary to scarlet fever.
  • the secondary symptoms of syphilis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: idiopathic

8

adj

Meaning 8

Of less than primary importance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Examples

  • a secondary issue

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: associate

Antonyms: none provided

9

adj

Meaning 9

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: education

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adj

Meaning 10

Relating to the manufacture of goods from raw materials.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: business, manufacturing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adj

Meaning 11

Formed by mixing primary colors.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Examples

  • Yellow is a secondary light color, though a primary CMYK color.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

adj

Meaning 12

Representing a reversion to an ancestral state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, taxonomy

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, ornithology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, finance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

The defensive backs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canadian

Topics: American-football, ball-games, football, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

noun

Meaning 18

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

noun

Meaning 19

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the secondary, or undersheriff, of the city of London

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

noun

Meaning 20

A secondary circle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

21

noun

Meaning 21

A satellite.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

22

noun

Meaning 22

A secondary school.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: education

Examples

  • There are four secondaries in this district, each with several thousand pupils.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

23

noun

Meaning 23

Ellipsis of secondary colour.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

24

noun

Meaning 24

Anything secondary or of lesser importance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

25

adjective

Meaning 25

being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the stone will be hauled to a secondary crusher
  • a secondary source
  • a secondary issue
  • secondary streams

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: primary

26

adjective satellite

Meaning 26

belonging to a lower class or rank

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

27

adjective satellite

Meaning 27

not of major importance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • played a secondary role in world events

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

28

adjective satellite

Meaning 28

depending on or incidental to what is original or primary

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a secondary infection

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

29

adjective satellite

Meaning 29

inferior in rank or status

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the junior faculty
  • a lowly corporal
  • petty officialdom
  • a subordinate functionary

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: junior-grade, lower-ranking, lowly, petty(a), subaltern

Antonyms: none provided

30

noun

Meaning 30

coil such that current is induced in it by passing a current through the primary coil

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: secondary coil, secondary winding

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: coil

31

noun

Meaning 31

the defensive football players who line up behind the linemen

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: formation

History

Etymology

From Middle English secundarie, from Latin secundārius (“of the second class or quality”), from secundus (whence the English second) + -ārius (whence the English suffix -ary), equivalent to second + -ary; compare the French secondaire, the Italian secondario, the Occitan secundari, the Portuguese secundario, and the Spanish secundario.

Across languages

Translations

45 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ثَانَوِي (Thānawī) — succeeding first
  • Bulgarian: вторичен (vtoričen) — succeeding first
  • Catalan: secundari — succeeding first
  • Catalan: secundària — succeeding first
  • Danish: sekundær — succeeding first
  • Dutch: secundair — succeeding first
  • Esperanto: sekundara — succeeding first
  • Esperanto: duagrada — succeeding first
  • Esperanto: duaperioda — succeeding first
  • French: secondaire — succeeding first
  • Galician: secundario — succeeding first
  • Georgian: მეორადი (meoradi) — succeeding first
  • German: sekundär — succeeding first
  • Greek: δευτερεύων (defterévon) — succeeding first
  • Hindi: द्वितीय (dvitīya) — succeeding first
  • Hindi: दूसरा (dūsrā) — succeeding first
  • Ido: sekundara — succeeding first
  • Indonesian: sekunder — succeeding first
  • Italian: secondario — succeeding first
  • Italian: secondaria — succeeding first
  • Japanese: 二次的な (nijiteki na) — succeeding first
  • Japanese: 二義的な (nigiteki na) — succeeding first
  • Japanese: 副次的な (fukujiteki na) — succeeding first
  • Lithuanian: antrinis — succeeding first
  • Malayalam: ദ്വിതീയ (dvitīya) — succeeding first
  • Norman: s'gondaithe — succeeding first
  • Polish: drugorzędny — succeeding first
  • Portuguese: secundário — succeeding first
  • Romanian: secundar — succeeding first
  • Russian: втори́чный (vtoríčnyj) — succeeding first
  • Scottish Gaelic: dàrnach — succeeding first
  • Spanish: secundario — succeeding first
  • Tatar: икенчел (ikençel) — succeeding first
  • Turkish: ikincil — succeeding first
  • Vietnamese: thứ hai — succeeding first
  • Vietnamese: thứ nhì — succeeding first
  • Vietnamese: thứ cấp — succeeding first
  • Yiddish: צווייטיק (tsveytik) — succeeding first
  • Bulgarian: помощен (pomošten) — acting by deputation
  • Dutch: plaatsvervangend — acting by deputation
  • Polish: pomocniczy — acting by deputation
  • Spanish: suplente — acting by deputation
  • German: Armschwinge — flight feather attached to the ulna
  • Polish: lotka drugiego rzędu — flight feather attached to the ulna
  • Scottish Gaelic: dàrna ite sgèith — flight feather attached to the ulna
Real reading context

secondary in complete knowledge articles