noun
subsidiary
suhb-SIH-dee-uhr-ee
noun
1
A company that is owned or controlled by a larger parent company.
"The airline is a subsidiary of a major travel conglomerate."
adj
1
Serving a supporting or secondary role.
"The report focuses on the main issue and treats the rest as subsidiary points."
How to Use Subsidiary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often a business owned by a bigger company; more generally, anything secondary or supporting.
Common pairings
wholly owned subsidiary
subsidiary company
Word Forms
more subsidiary comparative, subsidiaries plural, most subsidiary superlative
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The airline is a _____ of a major travel conglomerate.
Etymology
From Latin subsidiarius, "belonging to a reserve," related to subsidy.