ENGLISH
REFERENCE

subsidiary

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //səbˈsɪdiˌɛɹi// UK //sʌbsˈɪdjəɹi// sub·sidiary

n. a company that is owned or controlled by another, larger company. Even though it is part of a bigger group, it usually operates as its own business.

n. a company controlled by a holding or parent company through the ownership of more than half of its voting stock. Often functions as a distinct legal entity despite the centralized ownership.


SIMPLE

The local car dealership is a subsidiary of a global brand.

CONTEXTUAL

The tech giant acquired the small startup and turned it into a subsidiary to handle its European operations.

COMPLEX

To mitigate financial risk, the parent corporation established a separate subsidiary for its high-stakes research and development projects, ensuring that any potential losses would not bankrupt the entire group.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French subsidiaire, from Latin subsidiarius (“belonging to a reserve”).

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the parent company.

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