- secondary
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/sek"euhn der'ee/, adj., n., pl. secondaries.adj.1. next after the first in order, place, time, etc.2. belonging or pertaining to a second order, division, stage, period, rank, grade, etc.3. derived or derivative; not primary or original: secondary sources of historical research.4. of minor or lesser importance; subordinate; auxiliary.5. of or pertaining to secondary schools.6. Chem.a. involving or obtained by the replacement of two atoms or groups.b. noting or containing a carbon atom united to two other carbon atoms in a chain or ring molecule.7. Elect. noting or pertaining to the current induced by a primary winding or to the winding in which the current is induced in an induction coil, transformer, or the like.8. Geol. noting or pertaining to a mineral produced from another mineral by decay, alteration, or the like.9. Gram.a. derived.b. derived from a word that is itself a derived word: a secondary derivative.c. having reference to past time; noting or pertaining to a past tense: the Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit secondary tenses. Cf. primary (def. 13).10. Ornith. pertaining to any of a set of flight feathers on the second segment of a bird's wing.11. Ling. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a secondary accent: secondary stress.n.12. a person or thing that is secondary.13. a subordinate, assistant, deputy, or agent.14. Elect. a winding in a transformer or the like in which a current is induced by a primary winding.15. Ornith. a secondary feather.16. Football. the defensive unit that lines up behind the linemen.17. Ling. See secondary accent.[1350-1400; ME < L secundarius. See SECOND1, -ARY]Syn. 4. alternate, subsidiary, backup.
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Universalium. 2010.