subordinate

1.

/səˈbɔrdənət/

an assistant subject to the authority or control of another

2.

/səˈbɔrdnˌeɪt/

rank or order as less important or consider of less value

Other forms: subordinates; subordinated; subordinating; subordinately

A subordinate is someone who works for someone else. As a verb, to subordinate means to place or rank one thing below another. When you're doing a group project, sometimes you have to subordinate your ideas to the desires of the larger group.

The prefix sub- means "lower" and ordinate refers to an ordering of things. In the army, a private is subordinate to an officer. You can also say the private is a subordinate. When it's an adjective or noun, the word is pronounced "suh-BOR-duh-nit." When it's a verb, it’s pronounced "suh-BOR-duh-nate." Don’t subordinate one pronunciation to the other: they're both equally important.

Definitions of subordinate (/səˈbɔrdənət/)

1. noun

   an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
   synonyms: foot soldier, subsidiary, underling

   types:

   associate

   a person with subordinate membership in a society, institution, or commercial enterprise

   bottom dog

   a person of low status

   cog

   a subordinate who performs an important but routine function

   man

   a male subordinate

   second banana, second fiddle

   someone who serves in a subordinate capacity or plays a secondary role

   type of:

   assistant, help, helper, supporter

   a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
2. noun

   a word that is more specific than a given word
   synonyms: hyponym, subordinate word

   type of:

   word

   a unit of language that native speakers can identify
3. adjective

   lower in rank or importance
   synonyms: low-level

   adjunct, assistant

   of or relating to a person who is subordinate to another

   associate

   having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status

   secondary

   belonging to a lower class or rank

   under

   lower in rank, power, or authority

   inferior

   of or characteristic of low rank or importance

   antonyms:

   dominant

   exercising influence or control

   ascendant, ascendent, dominating

   most powerful or important or influential

   controlling

   able to control or determine policy

   governing

   responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws

   overriding, paramount, predominant, predominate, preponderant, preponderating, prepotent

   having superior power or influence

   possessive

   having or showing a desire to control or dominate

   sovereign, supreme

   greatest in status or authority or power

   superior

   (sometimes followed by `to') not subject to or influenced by

   superior

   of or characteristic of high rank or importance
4. adjective

   subject or submissive to authority or the control of another
   “a subordinate kingdom”

   synonyms:

   submissive

   inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination

   low-level

   lower in rank or importance

   feudatory

   owing feudal allegiance to or being subject to a sovereign

   ruled

   subject to a ruling authority

   dependent, subject

   being under the power or sovereignty of another or others

   subservient

   compliant and obedient to authority

   antonyms:

   insubordinate

   not submissive to authority

   defiant, noncompliant

   boldly resisting authority or an opposing force

   contumacious

   wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient

   disobedient, unruly

   unwilling to submit to authority

   mutinous

   disposed to or in a state of mutiny

   rebellious

   resisting control or authority
5. adjective

   (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence
   synonyms: dependent