subsidiary

1 of 2

adjective

sub·​sid·​i·​ary səb-ˈsi-dē-ˌer-ē 

-ˈsi-də-rē

1

a

: furnishing aid or support : auxiliary

subsidiary details

b

: of secondary importance

a subsidiary stream

2

: of, relating to, or constituting a subsidy

a subsidiary payment to an ally

subsidiarily

səb-ˌsi-dē-ˈer-ə-lē 

adverb

subsidiary

2 of 2

noun

plural subsidiaries

: one that is subsidiary

especially : a company wholly controlled by another

Examples of subsidiary in a Sentence

Noun

one of the company's foreign subsidiaries

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In an emotional moment, Indigenous representatives erupted into cheers when the subsidiary body was announced. —David Carlin, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Pacific Rim had transferred its subsidiary shell company from the Cayman Islands to Nevada in 2007 -- in preparation for the suit, some say, since the United States is a party to DR-CAFTA -- but the tribunal declined jurisdiction. —Lauren Carasik, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2014

Noun

The company maintains a tax holiday for a subsidiary in the APAC region, which contributed to a lower effective tax rate of 13.7% for the year. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 15 Nov. 2024

Following the take-private transaction, Franchise sold its subsidiary home goods retailer W.S. Badcock Corp. to Conn’s Inc., a home retail competitor, last December. —Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin subsidiarius, from subsidium reserve troops

First Known Use

Adjective

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1603, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

subsidiary

1 of 2 adjective

sub·​sid·​iary

səb-ˈsid-ē-ˌer-ē,

-ˈsid-ə-rē

: of secondary importance

subsidiary streams

subsidiary

2 of 2 noun

plural subsidiaries

: one that is subsidiary

especially : a company wholly controlled by another

Legal Definition

subsidiary

noun

sub·​sid·​i·​ary

səb-ˈsi-dē-ˌer-ē, -ˈsi-də-rē

plural subsidiaries

: a company having the majority of its stock owned by another company compare affiliate

Note: The parent company of a subsidiary generally has the same policy-making powers as any majority owner and can do such things as appoint directors and hire officers. The subsidiary is controlled by the parent through these powers, and the parent may be held liable for the acts of the subsidiary if the subsidiary is found to be an instrumentality of the parent.

subsidiary adjective