secondary
gb/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi/ us/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi/
A2
English
~ 2000
másodlagos, középiskolai, középfokú, középiskola, szekunder
B1
1
másodlagos
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] is secondary to [something else]
Her happiness is secondary to her children's well-being.
A saját boldogsága másodlagos a gyermekei jólétéhez képest.
The environmental impact was a secondary consideration in the project.
A projektben a környezeti hatás csak másodlagos szempont volt.
In this job, customer service is secondary to safety.
His secondary concern was how much the trip would cost.
The issue of parking is secondary compared to the budget problem.
Learner examples
Food is secondary to water for survival.
A túlélés szempontjából az élelem másodlagos a vízhez képest.
My health is not secondary to my work.
Az egészségem nem lehet másodlagos a munkámhoz képest.
Money is secondary when you love your job.
Your comfort is not secondary to style.
Fun is secondary to safety on this ride.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'secondary' with 'second', but 'secondary' refers to importance or rank, not simply order in time.
Meaning
less important or not primary
Collocations
secondary role
|secondary concern
|secondary objective
|secondary source
|secondary effect
Synonyms
subordinate (More formal; often used in hierarchical or organizational contexts.)
|
minor (Suggests small importance or lesser seriousness.)
Antonyms
primary (Directly indicates the most important or main thing.)
|
main (Common, everyday opposite meaning the most important.)
Themes
priorities
|comparison
|organization
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not as important as something else; coming after the main thing.
Less important, influential, or significant than something else; subordinate.
A2
TECHNICAL
2
She teaches mathematics at a secondary school.
Matematikát tanít egy középiskolában.
The country has invested heavily in secondary education.
Az ország jelentős összegeket fektetett a középfokú oktatásba.
Secondary students often have more homework than primary pupils.
He completed his secondary schooling abroad.
Secondary teachers face different challenges than primary teachers.
Learner examples
I go to a secondary school.
Középiskolába járok.
Secondary education is important for all children.
A középfokú oktatás minden gyermek számára fontos.
She is a secondary teacher.
He finished secondary school last year.
We have many subjects in secondary school.
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'secondary' here means 'less important', but in education it refers to a school level.
Meaning
relating to middle or high school education
Collocations
secondary school
|secondary education
|secondary teacher
Synonyms
high-school-level (Informal and region-specific; refers to U.S. high school context.)
Antonyms
primary (Refers to the earlier stage of schooling for younger children.)
Themes
education
Definition
About school for older children, after primary school but before university.
Relating to education that comes after primary school and before higher education, typically for students aged 11–18.
B2
TECHNICAL
3
másodlagos
B2
szekunder
C1
The patient developed a secondary infection after surgery.
A betegnél a műtét után másodlagos fertőzés alakult ki.
Economic problems are often a secondary effect of political instability.
A gazdasági problémák gyakran a politikai instabilitás másodlagos hatásai.
The fire caused secondary damage due to water used in firefighting.
Secondary symptoms appeared two days after the initial illness.
Flooding was a secondary result of the heavy snow melt.
Learner examples
He got a secondary infection after a cold.
Megfázás után másodlagos fertőzés alakult ki nála.
The flood was a secondary effect of the storm.
Az árvíz a vihar másodlagos hatása volt.
Secondary problems came after the main event.
She had a secondary injury from falling again.
The disease can cause secondary health issues.
Meaning
resulting from another cause or condition
Collocations
secondary infection
|secondary effect
|secondary damage
Synonyms
consequential (More formal; focuses on being a result of something else.)
|
derivative (Often used in technical fields; emphasizes being based on something else.)
Antonyms
primary (Refers to the original cause or source.)
Themes
science
|medicine
|health
Definition
Happening because of another thing, not the first cause.
Caused by or resulting from something else that is primary; not the original cause.
Grammar
Dictionary form
secondary
IPA
GB/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi/
US/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi/
Syllables & stress
sec - ond - ary (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sec)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: secondary
Word family
Expressions
secondary education
1/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi ˌɛd͡ʒəkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
schooling after primary level, before university
Education after primary school and before university.
Examples
- Many countries provide free secondary education.
- Secondary education usually lasts four to six years.
secondary school
1/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi skˈul/
fixed phrase
school after primary, before university
A school for older children, after primary school but before university.
Examples
- She attends a local secondary school.
- Secondary schools often prepare students for exams.
secondary to
1/sˈɛkəndˌɛɹi tə/
fixed phrase
less important than something else
Less important than another thing.
Examples
- In my life, work is secondary to family.
- Safety should never be secondary to profit.