subordinating

sub·or·di·nate  (s-bôrdn-t)

adj.

1. Belonging to a lower or inferior class or rank; secondary.

2. Subject to the authority or control of another.

n.

One that is subordinate.

tr.v. (s-bôrdn-t) sub·or·di·nat·ed, sub·or·di·nat·ing, sub·or·di·nates

1. To put in a lower or inferior rank or class.

2. To make subservient; subdue.

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[Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subrdintus, past participle of subrdinre, to put in a lower rank : Latin sub-, sub- + Latin rdinre, to set in order (from rd, rdin-, order; see ar- in Indo-European roots).]

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sub·ordi·nate·ly adv.

sub·ordi·nate·ness, sub·ordi·nation (-nshn) n.

sub·ordi·native (-ntv) adj.

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

subordinating - serving to connect a subordinate clause to a main clause; "`when' in `I will come when I can' is a subordinating conjunction" subordinative grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics) coordinating, coordinative - serving to connect two grammatical constituents of identical construction; "`and' in `John and Mary' or in `John walked and Mary rode' is a coordinating conjunction; and so is `or' in `will you go or stay?'"