/ ˈsekəndri; NAmE -deri/ adjective
1.
secondary (to sth) less important than sth else :
That is just a secondary consideration .
Experience is what matters—age is of secondary importance .
Raising animals was only secondary to other forms of farming.
2.
happening as a result of sth else :
a secondary infection
a secondary effect
a secondary colour (= made from mixing two primary colours)
3.
[ only before noun ] connected with teaching children of 11-18 years :
secondary teachers
the secondary curriculum
—compare elementary , primary , tertiary
► sec·ond·ar·ily / ˈsekəndrəli; NAmE ˌsekənˈderəli/ adverb :
Their clothing is primarily functional and only secondarily decorative.
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin secundarius of the second quality or class, from secundus following, second, from the base of sequi follow.