second language

noun

: a language that is learned in addition to the language a person first learned as a young child

Examples of second language in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The setup is surely familiar to teachers of English as a second language all over the world, but the choice of vocabulary is a bit different from your typical classroom. — Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2026

The lesson is part of a daily block of language instruction, ranging from two to four hours long, that Arizona students learning English as a second language are required to take. — Rafael Carranza, ProPublica, 16 Sep. 2026

Applicants must also pass an SAT-style entrance exam, which has long been a major hurdle, including for some recruits who speak English as a second language. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

As for the challenges, all three directors brought up the difficulties of having to communicate in their second language with actors when under the overbearing pressures of being on set. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for second language

• interlanguage
• metalanguage