Noun: subsidiarity ,súb,si-di'er-i-tee or sub,si-di'er-i-tee [N. Amer], ,súb,si-di'a-ri-tee or sub,si-di'a-ri-tee [Brit]
- Secondary importance
"The subsidiarity of the subplot didn't diminish its impact on the overall story";
- subordinateness
- The principle that things that should be handled by the most local level of administration possible; central high-level government should only be involved in handling things that cannot be dealt with effectively on a more local level
"The EU often applies the principle of subsidiarity in its governance"
Derived forms: subsidiarities
Type of: inferiority, lower rank, lower status
Encyclopedia: Subsidiarity