/awg zil"yeuh ree, -zil"euh-/ , adj., n., pl. auxiliaries .
adj.
1. additional; supplementary; reserve: an auxiliary police force.
2. used as a substitute or reserve in case of need: The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of a blackout.
3. (of a boat) having an engine that can be used to supplement the sails: an auxiliary yawl.
4. giving support; serving as an aid; helpful: The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other. Passion is auxiliary to art.
n.
5. a person or thing that gives aid of any kind; helper.
6. an organization allied with, but subsidiary to, a main body of restricted membership, esp. one composed of members' relatives: The men's club and the ladies' auxiliary were merged into one organization.
7. See auxiliary verb .
8. auxiliaries , foreign troops in the service of a nation at war.
9. Navy. a naval vessel designed for other than combat purposes, as a tug, supply ship, or transport.
10. Naut. a sailing vessel carrying an auxiliary propulsion engine or engines.
[ 1595-1605; auxiliarius assisting, aiding, helping, equiv. to auxili ( um ) aid, help ( aux ( us ) increased, augmented (ptp. of augere: aug- increase + -sus, var. of -tus ptp. suffix) + -ilium n. suffix) + -arius -ARY ]
Syn. 2. backup, ancillary, secondary. 5. aide, ally, assistant; help.