— secondarily /sek"euhn der'euh lee, sek'euhn dair"-/ , adv. — secondariness , n.
/sek"euhn der'ee/ , adj., n., pl. secondaries .
adj.
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.
6. Chem.
a. involving or obtained by the replacement of two atoms or groups.
b. noting or containing a carbon atom united to two other carbon atoms in a chain or ring molecule.
7. Elect. 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. Geol. noting or pertaining to a mineral produced from another mineral by decay, alteration, or the like.
9. Gram.
a. derived.
b. derived from a word that is itself a derived word: a secondary derivative.
c. having reference to past time; noting or pertaining to a past tense: the Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit secondary tenses. Cf. primary (def. 13).
10. Ornith. pertaining to any of a set of flight feathers on the second segment of a bird's wing.
11. Ling. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a secondary accent: secondary stress.
n.
12. a person or thing that is secondary.
13. a subordinate, assistant, deputy, or agent.
14. Elect. a winding in a transformer or the like in which a current is induced by a primary winding.
15. Ornith. a secondary feather.
16. Football. the defensive unit that lines up behind the linemen.
17. Ling. See secondary accent .
[ 1350-1400; ME secundarius. See SECOND 1 , -ARY ]
Syn. 4. alternate, subsidiary, backup.