subordinate

English

Etymology

From Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, from sub- + ōrdināre (“to order”).

Pronunciation

Adjective and Noun

• (UK) enPR: sə-bôʹdĭn-ət, IPA^(key): /səˈbɔːdɪnət/
• (US) enPR: sə-bôrʹdĭn-ət, IPA^(key): /səˈbɔɹdɪnət/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

• (UK) enPR: sə-bôʹdĭn-āt, IPA^(key): /səˈbɔːdɪneɪt/

  • Audio (UK)

    (file)

• (US) enPR: sə-bôrʹdĭn-āt, IPA^(key): /səˈbɔɹdɪneɪt/

Adjective

subordinate (comparative more subordinate, superlative most subordinate)

1. Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
   • 1695, John Woodward, An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth and Terrestrial Bodies, especially Minerals, &c

     The several kinds […] and subordinate species of each are easily known.

   Synonym: lesser

   Antonyms: superior, superordinate

2. Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.
   • November 9, 1662, Robert South, Of the Creation of Man in the Image of God

     It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.

   Antonym: insubordinate

3. (grammar, of a clause, not comparable) dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause

   In the sentence “The barbecue finished before John arrived”, the subordinate clause “before John arrived” specifies the time of the main clause, “The barbecue finished”.

   Synonym: dependent

   Antonyms: independent, main

4. Descending in a regular series.

Translations

placed in a lower class, rank, or position

• Danish: underordnet
• Dutch: ondergeschikt (nl)
• Finnish: alamainen (fi)
• French: subordonné (fr) m, subordonnée (fr) f, subordonnés (fr) m pl, subordonnées (fr) f pl
• German: untergeordnet (de), nachgeordnet
• Hungarian: alárendelt (hu)
• Irish: fo-ordaithe, íochtaránach
• Japanese: 劣後する (ja) (retsugo suru)
• Polish: podrzędny (pl), podrzędny (pl)
• Portuguese: subordinado (pt)

• Romanian: subordonat (ro) m, subordonată f
• Russian: подчинённый (ru) (podčinjónnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: потчињен

  Roman: potčinjen (sh)

• Spanish: subordinado (es) m
• Swedish: underordnad (sv)
• Turkish: ast (tr)

submissive to or controlled by authority

• Czech: podřízený (cs) m
• Danish: underordnet
• Finnish: alamainen (fi), alisteinen (fi)
• German: untergeordnet (de), nachgeordnet
• Greek: εξαρτημένος (el) (exartiménos), υποτελής (el) (ypotelís)
• Irish: fo-ordaithe, íochtaránach
• Japanese: 従属する (ja) (jūzoku suru), 付属する (ja) (jūzoku suru)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: ژێردەستە‎ (jérdeste)

• Persian: زیردست‎ (fa), فرودست‎ (fa)

• Portuguese: subordinado (pt) m, subordinada f
• Romanian: subordonat (ro) m
• Russian: подчинённый (ru) (podčinjónnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: потчињен

  Roman: potčinjen (sh)

• Swedish: underordnad (sv)
• Turkish: tabi (tr)

grammar: dependent

• Catalan: subordinat
• Finnish: alisteinen (fi)
• Greek: εξαρτημένος (el) (exartiménos), δευτερεύουσα (el) f (defterévousa) (of sentenses)
• Irish: fo-ordaithe
• Norman: s'gondaithe (Jersey)
• Portuguese: subordinado (pt)
• Romanian: subordonat (ro) m

• Russian: прида́точный (ru) (pridátočnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: за́висан

  Roman: závisan (sh)

• Swedish: underordnad (sv)
• Turkish: niteleyen

Noun

subordinate (plural subordinates)

2. (countable) One who is subordinate.

   Synonyms: inferior, junior, report, underling, understrapper

   Antonyms: boss, commander, leader, manager, superior, supervisor

Translations

one who is subordinate

• Catalan: subordinat m
• Dutch: ondergeschikte (nl) m or f
• Finnish: alainen (fi)
• German: Untergebene (de) m, Befehlsempfänger m
• Japanese: 部下 (ja) (buka), 配下 (haika) (a person), 付属物 (fuzokubutsu) (a thing)
• Latin: subiectus m
• Maori: awhenga
• Mon: ကောန်ရဲ (kon ray)

• Polish: podwładny (pl) m
• Portuguese: subordinado (pt) m
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: потчињени m

  Roman: potčinjeni (sh) m

• Thai: ลูกน้อง (th) (lûuk-nɔ́ɔng)
• Vietnamese: thuộc cấp

Verb

subordinate (third-person singular simple present subordinates, present participle subordinating, simple past and past participle subordinated)

1. (transitive) To make subservient.
2. (transitive) To treat as of less value or importance.

   Synonyms: belittle, denigrate

3. (transitive, finance) To make of lower priority in order of payment in bankruptcy.

Translations

to make subservient

• Catalan: subordinar (ca)
• Czech: podřídit
• Finnish: alistaa (fi)
• Irish: fo-ordaigh

• Portuguese: subordinar (pt), submeter (pt), subjugar (pt), dominar (pt)
• Russian: подчиня́ть (ru) (podčinjátʹ)
• Swedish: underordna (sv)
• Turkish: tabi kılmak, bağımlı kılmak

to treat as of less value or importance

• Finnish: väheksyä (fi)
• Irish: fo-ordaigh

• Portuguese: subordinar (pt), submeter (pt), sujeitar (pt)

See also

• inferior

Anagrams

• turbinadoes

---

Italian

Adjective

subordinate

1. feminine plural of subordinato

Verb

subordinate

1. second-person plural present indicative of subordinare
2. second-person plural imperative of subordinare
3. feminine plural past participle of subordinare

---

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /su.boːr.diˈnaː.te/, [s̠ʊboːrd̪ɪˈnäːt̪ɛ]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /su.bor.diˈna.te/, [subɔrd̪iˈnɑːt̪ɛ]

Verb

subōrdināte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of subōrdinō