Main Entry: ¹sec·ond·ary

Pronunciation: \ˈse-kən-ˌder-ē\

Function: adjective

Date: 14th century

1 a : of second rank, importance, or value b : of, relating to, or constituting the second strongest of the three or four degrees of stress recognized by most linguists <the fourth syllable of basketball team carries secondary stress> c of a tense : expressive of past time
2 a : immediately derived from something original, primary, or basic b : of, relating to, or being the induced current or its circuit in an induction coil or transformer <secondary voltage> c : characterized by or resulting from the substitution of two atoms or groups in a molecule <a secondary salt>; especially : being, characterized by, or attached to a carbon atom having bonds to two other carbon atoms d (1) : not first in order of occurrence or development (2) : dependent or consequent on another disease or condition <secondary hypertension> (3) : produced by activity of formative tissue and especially cambium other than that at a growing point <secondary growth> <secondary phloem>
3 a : of, relating to, or being the second order or stage in a series b : of, relating to, or being the second segment of the wing of a bird or the quills of this segment c : of or relating to a secondary school <secondary education>

— sec·ond·ar·i·ly \ˌse-kən-ˈder-ə-lē\ adverb

— sec·ond·ar·i·ness \ˈse-kən-ˌder-ē-nəs\ noun