secondary: Meaning and Definition of

sec•ond•ar•y

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.
1. involving or obtained by the replacement of two atoms or groups.
2. noting or containing a carbon atom united to two other carbon atoms in a chain or ring molecule.
7. 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. noting or pertaining to a mineral produced from another mineral by decay, alteration, or the like.
9. a secondary derivative.
1. derived.
2. derived from a word that is itself a derived word:a secondary derivative.
3. having reference to past time; noting or pertaining to a past tense:the Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit secondary tenses.Cf.primary(def. 13).
10. pertaining to any of a set of flight feathers on the second segment of a bird's wing.
11. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a secondary accent: secondary stress.

1. a person or thing that is secondary.
2. a subordinate, assistant, deputy, or agent.
3. a winding in a transformer or the like in which a current is induced by a primary winding.
4. a secondary feather.
5. the defensive unit that lines up behind the linemen.
6. See