Definition of auxiliary
1a : offering or providing helpb : functioning in a subsidiary capacity an auxiliary branch of the state university
2 of a verb : accompanying another verb and typically expressing person, number, mood, or tense In “I will go,” the word “will” is an auxiliary verb.
3a : supplementary a telescope with its auxiliary apparatusb : constituting a reserve an auxiliary power plant an auxiliary police force
4 of a boat : equipped with sails and a supplementary inboard engine an auxiliary sloop
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Examples of auxiliary in a Sentence
Travelers have also been griping about a lack of air-conditioning while planes are on the tarmac—even after delays stretch for hours. Airlines blame the problem on a breakdown of a plane's auxiliary power unit. —Darren Everson, Wall Street Journal, 8 Aug. 2007
However, on March 1, 1896, Italian forces underwent a stunning defeat at Adwa, where they fought against the warriors of the Abyssinian emperor, Menelik. Some five thousand Italian troops and two thousand native auxiliary troops had been killed or captured, and the colony had been lost. —Mirella Tenderini et al., The Duke of the Abruzzi, 1997
The rotund 6'1", 235-pound object of their affections hasn't played a day of major league baseball, he dresses in the auxiliary locker room, and he isn't even listed on Boston's 40-man roster. But after a resplendent summer last year at Triple A Pawtucket and a winter of panegyrics from a giddy Boston press, first baseman Maurice Samuel (Mo) Vaughn, 23, has arrived as a “real” rookie who everyone in Red Sox-land hopes is the real thing. —Nicholas Dawidoff, Sports Illustrated, 1 Apr. 1991
a sailboat with an auxiliary engine
the auditorium has an auxiliary cooling system used only on particularly sweltering days
Recent Examples of auxiliary from the Web
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Auxiliary Bishop Joseph R. Binzer will be the main celebrant and the Rev. Lambert Ulinzwenimana, the parochial vicar of the Winton Wyoming Pastoral Region, will be concelebrating the Mass.
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The VFW and the ladies auxiliary in Lockport donated $500 to help cover the costs of the household items.
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The Clarion head unit in my boat dates to 2008, when auxiliary audio plugs were common, but Bluetooth was not.
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That plane uses three auxiliary fuel tanks to boost its range to 4,600 miles.
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With two extra auxiliary tanks the A321 has slightly more range than the 3,000 nautical miles of the MAX without such tanks, Leverkuhn said.
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Bunker's email said the EPA had told Fiat Chrysler officials at a November 2015 meeting that at least one auxiliary emissions control device on the car maker's vehicles appeared to violate the agency's regulations.
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U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary officials will conduct the inspections.
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For information on the Auxiliary call Hainkel at 816-806-2796 or attend a breakfast gathering of the group from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at VFW Post 7356, 10125 Tom Watson Parkway, Parkville.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'auxiliary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Auxiliary can be used in a wide range of capacities in English to describe a person or thing that assists another. A fire department may bring in auxiliary units, for example, to battle a tough blaze, or a sailboat may be equipped with auxiliary engines to supply propulsion when the wind disappears. In grammar, an auxiliary verb assists another (main) verb to express person, number, mood, or tense, as have in "They have been informed." The Latin source of auxiliary is auxilium, meaning "help."
Origin and Etymology of auxiliary
Latin auxiliaris, from auxilium help; akin to Latin augēre to increase — more at eke
Definition of auxiliary
auxiliaries
1a : an auxiliary person, group, or device; specifically : a member of a foreign force serving a nation at warb : a Roman Catholic titular bishop assisting a diocesan bishop and not having the right of succession —called also auxiliary bishop
2 : a sailing boat or ship equipped with a supplementary inboard engine
3 grammar : an auxiliary verb
Examples of auxiliary in a Sentence
In 1944 Forrestal also began a program of sending black enlisted men to serve in a limited number of fleet auxiliaries. These were still not warships, but they were seagoing vessels and closer to the fighting Navy than the small harbor-defense craft and harbor auxiliaries that had initially been open to black crews. —The Golden Thirteen, 1993
Roman cavalry was poorly developed; they relied on wings, called alae, of horsemen supplied by their auxiliaries. The favorite Roman battle formation was of a triple line of cohorts with alae sweeping the flanks. —Kenneth P. Czech, MHQ : The Quarterly Journal of Military History, Autumn 1992
Recent Examples of auxiliary from the Web
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After welcoming remarks by board co-Presidents Pat Golemi and Denise Woodward, and event Chair Mary Crumb, the honorees were named, receiving the auxiliary's signature silver bowls from EJGH Interim President and CEO Dr. Raymond DeCorte.
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Kindervelt, the largest auxiliary of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with over 700 volunteers, gave the check to the CHMC at the annual meeting on May 17.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'auxiliary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of auxiliary
see 1auxiliary
AUXILIARY Defined for English Language Learners
auxiliary
playDefinition of auxiliary for English Language Learners
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: available to provide extra help, power, etc., when it is needed
auxiliary
playDefinition of auxiliary for English Language Learners
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: a group that provides help or assistance
AUXILIARY Defined for Kids
Definition of auxiliary for Students
: available to provide something extra an auxiliary engine
Definition of auxiliary for Students
auxiliaries
1 : a group that provides assistance
2 : helping verb
Medical Dictionary
auxiliary
Medical Definition of auxiliary
1: one who assists or serves another person especially in dentistry
2: an organization that assists (as by donations or volunteer services) the work especially of a hospital
Learn More about auxiliary
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for auxiliary Spanish Central: Translation of auxiliary Nglish: Translation of auxiliary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of auxiliary for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about auxiliary
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