Word of the Day : July 16, 2019

auxiliary \awg-ZILL-yuh-ree\ adjective

Definition

1 a : offering or providing help

b : functioning in a subsidiary capacity

2 of a verb : accompanying another verb and typically expressing person, number, mood, or tense

3 a : supplementary

b : constituting a reserve

4 of a boat : equipped with sails and a supplementary inboard engine

Did You Know?

Auxiliary is used in a wide range of capacities in English to describe a person or thing that assists another. A fire department may bring in auxiliary units, for example, to battle a tough blaze, or a sailboat may be equipped with auxiliary engines to supply propulsion when the wind disappears. In grammar, an auxiliary verb assists another (main) verb to express person, number, mood, or tense, such as have in "They have been informed." The Latin source of auxiliary is auxilium, meaning "help."

Aired July 16, 2019

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