Word
ancillary
Phoneticsan·cil·lary
US/ˈænsəˌɫɛɹi/
UK/ˈænsɪləɹi/
Definition
adj. providing extra help or support to something more important. You use this to describe things that are secondary or additional to the main part.
adj. providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organisation, institution, or system. Often describes services, costs, or staff that are subordinate to the main purpose.
Examples
“The hotel offers ancillary services like laundry and airport transfers.”
“While the main goal is education, the school provides ancillary support through counseling and career advice.”
“The court ruled that the ancillary evidence, though not central to the crime itself, was necessary to establish a pattern of behavior by the defendant.”
Examples
simple
“The hotel offers ancillary services like laundry and airport transfers.”
contextual
“While the main goal is education, the school provides ancillary support through counseling and career advice.”
complex
“The court ruled that the ancillary evidence, though not central to the crime itself, was necessary to establish a pattern of behavior by the defendant.”
Usage
Typically precedes the noun it modifies; frequently used in formal, legal, or technical contexts.
Real-World Examples
“It will have ancillary services such as counselling and physio.” Etymology
From Latin ancillāris (“ancillary; relating to maids”), from ancilla (“maid”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/ancillary