subordinate
- Lower in rank, power, or importance relative to someone or something else.
- As a noun: a person who is under the authority or control of another. As a verb (suh-BOR-dih-nayt): to treat something as less important than something else.
In a sentence
- The manager asked her subordinates to submit weekly progress reports.
- Personal interests must sometimes be subordinated to the needs of the wider community.
Usage note. Like 'elaborate,' this word shifts pronunciation between the adjective/noun form ('-nut') and the verb form ('-nayt'); also note the grammatical term 'subordinate clause,' which depends on a main clause to complete its meaning.
Where it comes from
English subordinate · entered English early 15th c.
From Medieval Latin 'subordinatus,' past participle of 'subordinare,' meaning 'to place in a lower order,' from Latin 'sub-' (under) and 'ordinare' (to arrange, from 'ordo,' order). It entered English in the early 15th century in grammatical and hierarchical senses.