sub·or·di·nate • adj. / səˈbôrdnit/ lower in rank or position: his subordinate officers. ∎  of less or secondary importance: in adventure stories, character must be subordinate to action.• n. / səˈbôrdnit/ a person under the authority or control of another within an organization.• v. / -ˌāt/ [tr.] treat or regard as of lesser importance than something else: practical considerations were subordinated to political expediency. ∎  make subservient to or dependent on something else.DERIVATIVES: sub·or·di·nate·ly adv.sub·or·di·na·tion / -ˌbôrdnˈāshən/ n.sub·or·di·na·tive / -ətiv/ adj.

subordinate adj. XV. — medL. subordinātus, pp. of subordināre (whence subordinate vb. XVI, subordination XVII); see SUB-, ORDAIN, ORDINATION, -ATE2, -ATE3.