Skip to content

The word for today is…

ancillary (adjective):

1: subordinate, subsidiary
2: auxiliary, supplementary

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Ancillary comes from the Latin word ancilla, meaning “a female servant,” which also gave us the rarer English word ancilla, meaning “an aid to achieving or mastering something difficult.” While the English ancilla (which made its debut a couple of centuries after ancillary) is unlikely to be encountered except in very specialized contexts (such as philosophy or quantum computing), ancillary picks up on the notion of providing aid or support in a way that supplements something else. In particular, the word often describes something that is in a position of secondary importance, such as the “ancillary products in a company’s line.”

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest

Nuclear Waste Storage… No Big Deal

Nuclear Waste Storage… No Big Deal

Nuclear waste is better handled than any other waste in the world. This is a positive spin-off legacy from all the exaggerated scare stories which have been generated by the anti-nuke lobby. Nuclear people worldwide are very proud of what they do, and how they do it, and they do it well.

Members Public
The Houthis Did It

The Houthis Did It

Brent hit $US108 per barrel once news of the pipeline attack got out and, unless the Saudis fix it fast and supply troops to protect it – perhaps with soldiers from the other Gulf States – will likely rise higher.

Members Public