ancillary

10 synonyms and 3 antonyms for ancillary, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Providing support to something more important, without being an essential part of it.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

supporting secondary

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

auxiliary subsidiary supplementary accessory

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

appurtenant adjunct adjuvant support worker

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective formal

Providing support to something more important, without being an essential part of it.

“The hospital is recruiting nurses as well as ancillary staff.”

supporting auxiliary subsidiary supplementary secondary accessory appurtenant adjunct adjuvant

Opposites

primary principal core

2. noun formal, chiefly British

A person or thing that provides support to a main activity, such as a support worker in a hospital or school.

“The ancillaries voted to join the strike.”

support worker auxiliary

How to use ancillary

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

ancillary staff ancillary services ancillary costs ancillary revenue

Formal; common in medicine, law, education and business.

Etymology

From Latin ancillaris, from ancilla 'maidservant'.

Full origin of ancillary →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ancillary and auxiliary?

They are close, but auxiliary suggests an extra resource held in reserve or added to boost capacity, such as an auxiliary engine or auxiliary troops. Ancillary suggests a supporting role attached to the main work, such as ancillary staff or ancillary costs.

What are ancillary costs?

They are the additional charges attached to a main purchase rather than the purchase itself, such as delivery, insurance, installation or legal fees. They are real costs, but they sit around the headline price.

How is ancillary pronounced?

British speakers usually stress the first syllable, AN-suh-luh-ree, while American speakers usually stress the second, an-SIL-uh-ree. Both are correct within their varieties.

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primary core supporting secondary principal subsidiary auxiliary accessory supplementary adjunct

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