ˈsɛkənˌderi 
British ˈsɛkəndri
1
: not as important or valuable as something else
Winning is secondary—we play for the fun of the sport.
There are some secondary issues/considerations which must be taken into account as well.
secondary goals
I want a car that's reliable; the color is of secondary importance.
The secondary roads are indicated on the map with a green line.
—often + toIn some children's books, the text is secondary to the illustrations.
2
: of or relating to education of students who have completed primary school
This job requires at least a secondary [=high school] education.
a secondary English textbook
3
: caused by or coming from something else
a secondary infection
Better gas mileage is a secondary benefit of reduced speed limits.
The biography uses mostly secondary sources. [=information that did not come from original/primary sources but came from research done by others]
plural secondaries
American football
: the players on the defense who are positioned away from the line of scrimmage and who mainly try to stop forward passes by the offense
The team has a strong secondary.
Cite this Entry
“Secondary.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/secondary. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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