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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kind of like learning a second language. Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025 More than 30% of those students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, the dashboard indicated, and 10% speak English as a second language. Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025 There is a particular type of emotional safety that writing in a second language can afford. Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025 But new research from Northwestern University suggests there’s more to the story — a second language built on geometry rather than chemistry. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for second language

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Second language.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20language. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!