subordinate

English

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/
• (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.
   • Woodward

     The several kinds and subordinate species of each are easily distinguished.

2. Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by, authority.
   • South

     It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.

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”.

Synonyms

• (placed in a lower class, rank, or position): lesser
• (grammar, dependent on the main clause): dependent

Antonyms

• (placed in a lower class, rank, or position): superior, superordinate
• (Submissive to or controlled by authority): insubordinate
• (grammar, dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause): independent, main

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: unterordnen (de)
• Hungarian: alárendelt (hu)
• Irish: fo-ordaithe, íochtaránach
• 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 m
• Danish: underordnet
• Finnish: alamainen (fi), alisteinen
• German: unterordnen (de)
• Greek: εξαρτημένος (el) (exartiménos), υποτελής (el) (ypotelís)
• Irish: fo-ordaithe, íochtaránach
• Kurdish:

  Sorani: ژێرده‌سته‌‏‎ (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

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

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

  Cyrillic: зависан

  Roman: zavisan (sh)

• Swedish: underordnad (sv)
• Turkish: niteleyen

See also

• inferior

Noun

subordinate (plural subordinates)

1. (countable) One who is subordinate.

Synonyms

• (one who is subordinate): inferior, junior, report, underling, understrapper

Antonyms

• (one who is subordinate): boss, commander, leader, manager, superior, supervisor

Translations

one who is subordinate

• Finnish: alainen (fi)
• German: Untergebene (de) m, Befehlsempfänger m

• Portuguese: subordinado (pt) m
• Serbo-Croatian: potčinjeni (sh) m

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

Synonyms

• (treat as of less value or importance): belittle, denigrate

Translations

to make subservient

• Czech: podřídit
• Finnish: alistaa (fi)
• Irish: fo-ordaigh
• Portuguese: subordinar (pt), submeter (pt), subjugar (pt), dominar (pt)

• Russian: подчинять (ru) (podčinjatʹ)
• 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)

---

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 of subordinato

---

Latin

Verb

subōrdināte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of subōrdinō