subordinate word
- noun
- /səˈbɔːrdɪnət wɜrd/
- Specialized
:
palabra subordinada
- In the hierarchy of terms, "rose" is a subordinate word under "flower".
Examples
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"Poodle" is a subordinate word of "dog" because it is more specific.
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Linguists often discuss how subordinate words relate to more general categories.
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In the phrase 'dog', the term is a subordinate word under 'animal'.
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A subordinate word can provide more detail about a category.
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"Poodle" is a subordinate word of "dog" because it signifies a more specific breed.
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In linguistics, a subordinate word like "sparrow" falls under the broader category of "bird."
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The term "SUV" is a subordinate word of the larger category "vehicle" in automotive discussions.
Synonyms
1
7.2
A specific word that belongs under a more general word
A word that names a specific kind of a more general word
Antonyms
- Specialized
A general word that includes more specific words like bird for sparrow
How Specific
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'subordinate' (denoting something lower in rank or more specific) with 'word' (a unit of language): a word that is subordinate = a word that is lower/more specific in a hierarchy. This adjective+noun compositional pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Subordinate word paints a simple picture: the part subordinate means 'under', so it is a word that sits 'under' a more general word. So a subordinate word is a more specific word in a group, like 'poodle' under 'dog'.