1. Being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate
   "a secondary issue"; "secondary streams"; "the stone will be hauled to a secondary crusher"; "a secondary source"
    
2. Inferior in rank or status
   "a secondary corporal";
   - junior-grade, lower-ranking, lowly, petty, subaltern
    
3. Depending on or incidental to what is original or primary
   "a secondary infection"
    
4. Not of major importance
   "played a secondary role in world events"

1. The defensive football players who line up behind the linemen
   "The quarterback's pass was intercepted by a player in the secondary"
    
2. Coil such that current is induced in it by passing a current through the primary coil
   "The transformer's secondary coil stepped down the voltage for household use";
   - secondary coil, secondary winding

Derived forms: secondaries

See also: accidental, alternate, alternative, auxiliary, collateral, incidental, indirect, inessential, junior, minor, secondhand, second-hand, second-string, standby, subsidiary, substitute, supplemental, supplementary, thirdhand, tributary, unessential, unoriginal, utility, vicarious

Type of: coil, formation

Antonym: primary

Part of: eleven, football team, transformer

Encyclopedia: Secondary