Subordinates
/səˈbɔːrdɪnəts/
Definitions
2 meaningsPeople who hold a lower rank or position than others in an organization or hierarchy; those who report to a superior.
/səˈbɔːrdɪnəts/
People in a lower rank or position.
The supervisor sent an email to all of his subordinates.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing a team sport. Your teammates on the same level are your colleagues, but those who take direction from you are your subordinates. They're the team members who report to you to make sure the whole team does well.
👶 For kids: The people who have to listen to the boss or someone in charge.
More Examples
The company held a meeting with its subordinates to discuss new policies.
The officer ensured that all subordinates were well informed about the mission.
How It's Used
"The manager addressed his subordinates during the weekly meeting."
"The general gave orders to his subordinates."
To treat or consider something as less important than something else; to put in a lower or secondary position.
/səˈbɔːrdɪneɪts/
To treat or regard as of lesser importance.
The company subordinated profits to ethical considerations.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're planning a birthday party. You need a cake, but you need to find a location first. Because finding the location is a higher priority, you subordinate planning the cake to the location, which means you make the cake planning less important for a while.
👶 For kids: To make something less important than something else.
More Examples
The artist subordinated the background to highlight the subject.
The editor subordinated the minor details to the main story.
How It's Used
"He subordinated his personal desires to the greater good."
"The project manager subordinated certain tasks to make the deadline."
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Subordinate clause
A clause in a sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and is dependent on the main clause.
"In the sentence 'Because it was raining, we stayed inside,' the clause 'Because it was raining' is a subordinate clause."
From Middle French *subordonner* (to place in a lower rank), from Latin *subordinare* (to arrange in order, place below), from *sub-* (under) + *ordinare* (to arrange).
Historically used in military and governmental contexts to denote rank and hierarchy.
Memory tip
Think of the word's structure: 'sub' (under) + 'ordinate' (order). Those under the main order.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: subordinare