ancillary
adjective
an·cil·lary
| \ ˈan(t)-sə-ˌler-ē
, -ˌle-rē, especially British an-ˈsi-lə-rē\
, -ˌle-rē, especially British an-ˈsi-lə-rē\
Definition of ancillary
1
: subordinate, subsidiary
the main factory and its ancillary plants
2
: auxiliary, supplementary
the need for ancillary evidence ancillary expenses ancillary equipment
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Examples of ancillary in a Sentence
The lockout rocked the NHL, but among the ancillary benefits has been the emergence of young players who apprenticed for an additional season in the minors …
— Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 21 Nov. 2005
I am in love with a man who is in love with boats. As far as ancillary loves are concerned, I understand things could be worse. Sadly, I do not love boats.
— Ann Patchett, Gourmet, May 2003
Traditionally museums have been built to house collections, and for ancillary functions such as storage, conservation, administration, and education.
— Jayne Merkel, Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2002
Paleolithic hunters and gatherers obtained an abundance of complete protein, mostly from wild game; their vegetable foods were an ancillary protein source. This pattern prevailed until agriculture transformed it, shifting the human diet away from meat and toward plant food.
— S. Boyd Eaton et al., The Paleolithic Prescription, 1988
The company hopes to boost its sales by releasing ancillary products.
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Recent Examples on the Web
As a result, the airline’s ancillary sales are growing twice as fast as its passenger numbers. — M.r., The Economist, "How ham-and-cheese paninis are saving Ryanair’s dough," 29 July 2019 There are no Cincinnati players in the game itself and the club isn't directly involved in any of the ancillary events either, such as Tuesday's revival of the skills competitions at Disney's Wide World of Sports. — Pat Brennan, Cincinnati.com, "FC Cincinnati isn't represented at the MLS All-Star Game. Was an opportunity missed?," 28 July 2019 The weekend also now draws ancillary events geared towards younger music fans like Dusse-Palooza and Trap Karaoke. — Naima Cochrane, Billboard, "After 25 Years, Essence Fest Is More Family Reunion Than Music Festival," 10 July 2019 That means all emergency care; emergency ambulance transport; and ancillary services delivered at an in-network facility such as anesthesiology, radiology, pathology, assistant surgery, and tests and imaging. — Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, "Opponents launch constitutional attack on laws to end surprise medical bills," 2 July 2019 Chicago Gourmet has announced seven ancillary events to accompany the annual food and wine festival, including some returning favorites and a couple of new features. — Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago Gourmet announces 7 ancillary events; tickets on sale now," 7 June 2018 Zillow and Redfin have ancillary businesses that flipping houses can complement, such as selling listings ads, originating mortgages, and selling title insurance. — Jeff Andrews, Curbed, "Inside Redfin’s strategy for buying and selling homes," 17 July 2019 The study notes that the northern part of South Robert Street, the city’s 2.5-mile long shopping district, does not have an anchor or large-format retailer to help generate traffic that can support ancillary small-scale retail. — Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, "Pieces of South Robert Street’s north end primed for redevelopment," 30 June 2019 Allen suspects that Reader played more than an ancillary role in the Wagner investigation, considering the relatively small size of the Pike County Sheriff's Office. — Max Londberg, Cincinnati.com, "Will charges against Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader impact the Rhoden case?," 28 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ancillary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for ancillary
ancillary
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of ancillary
formal
: providing something additional to a main part or function
See the full definition for ancillary in the English Language Learners Dictionary
ancillary
adjective
an·cil·lary
| \ ˈan(t)-sə-ˌler-ē, especially British an-ˈsil-ə-rē\
Medical Definition of ancillary
(Entry 1 of 2)
: being auxiliary or supplementary
use of a drug as ancillary to surgical treatment ancillary staff ancillary diagnostic services
ancillary
noun
plural ancillaries
Medical Definition of ancillary (Entry 2 of 2)
1
British
: one who assists or is supplementary to another person
2
: a supplemental diagnostic or therapeutic medical service (as magnetic resonance imaging or radiotherapy)
ancillary
adjective
an·cil·lary
| \ ˈan-sə-ˌler-ē, an-ˈsi-lə-rē
\
\
Legal Definition of ancillary
1
: having a subordinate, subsidiary, or secondary nature
ancillary functions an ancillary agreement
2
: serving as a supplement or addition
ancillary documents
3
: directly related
ancillary claims
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