subsidiary

9 synonyms and 1 antonym for subsidiary, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A company that is owned or controlled by a larger parent company.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

secondary

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

auxiliary subordinate affiliate supplemental supplementary

Rare, literary or technical

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

ancillary offshoot underling

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A company that is owned or controlled by a larger parent company.

“The bank's subsidiary in Spain handles all the European customers.”

auxiliary ancillary subordinate secondary affiliate offshoot underling

2. adj

Serving a supporting or secondary role.

“Cooking was only a subsidiary interest; his main hobby was painting.”

supplemental supplementary auxiliary

Opposites

primary

How to use subsidiary

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

wholly owned subsidiary subsidiary company

Etymology

From Latin subsidiarius, "belonging to a reserve," related to subsidy.

Full origin of subsidiary →

Frequently asked questions

What does “subsidiary” mean?

The word “subsidiary” means a company that is owned or controlled by a larger parent company. In plain terms, most often a business owned by a bigger company; more generally, anything secondary or supporting.

How do you pronounce “subsidiary”?

“Subsidiary” is pronounced suhb-SIH-dee-uhr-ee (/sʌbˈsɪ.di.əɹ.i/ in IPA).

How do you use “subsidiary” in a sentence?

Here is “subsidiary” used in a sentence: “The airline is a subsidiary of a major travel conglomerate.”

What part of speech is “subsidiary”?

Depending on how it is used, “subsidiary” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “subsidiary” come from?

The word “subsidiary” comes from Latin. From Latin subsidiarius, "belonging to a reserve," related to subsidy.

Is “subsidiary” a common word?

“Subsidiary” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “subsidiary” have?

“Subsidiary” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a company that is owned or controlled by a larger parent company.

What is the difference between a subsidiary and a parent company?

A parent company owns or controls another company, and the company it owns is called the subsidiary. Control is usually established by holding a majority of the subsidiary's shares.

What is the difference between a subsidiary and an affiliate?

A subsidiary is controlled by a parent company, typically through majority ownership. An affiliate is a company in which the parent holds a smaller stake and does not have controlling ownership.

What is the difference between a subsidiary and a division?

A subsidiary is a separate legal company owned by a parent company, while a division is simply a part of one company and not a separate legal entity. Subsidiaries have their own legal identity; divisions do not.

What is the difference between subsidiary and secondary?

Both words can describe something less important than the main thing. 'Secondary' just means second in rank or importance, while 'subsidiary' specifically implies a supporting or supplementary role, as in 'a subsidiary issue.'

People also searched

primary secondary affiliate auxiliary subordinate supplementary supplemental ancillary offshoot underling

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of subsidiary