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

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

But its subsidiary Swedish Match North America, which oversees the Zyn brand, operates a political action committee that has spent more than $142,000 on this election through Aug. 31, according to a campaign finance analysis by nonpartisan watchdog OpenSecrets. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2024

Noun

French outlet La Lettre A reported that Netflix’s French operation was structured until 2021 so that all subscribers signed up with a Dutch subsidiary. —Chris Morris, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024

The French outlet claimed Netflix subscribers in France signed agreements with a Dutch subsidiary, Netflix International BV, to reduce the parent company’s tax charges in the 2019 and 2020 filing periods. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 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