Dictionary
aux•il•ia•ry
Pronunciation: (ôg-zil'yu-rē, -zil'u-), [key]
—adj., n., pl. -ries.
—
adj.
1. additional; supplementary; reserve:
an auxiliary police force.
2. used as a substitute or reserve in case of need:
The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of a blackout.
3. (of a boat) having an engine that can be used to supplement the sails:
an auxiliary yawl.
4. giving support; serving as an aid; helpful:
The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other. Passion is auxiliary to art.
—
n.
1. a person or thing that gives aid of any kind; helper.
2. an organization allied with, but subsidiary to, a main body of restricted membership, esp. one composed of members' relatives:
The men's club and the ladies' auxiliary were merged into one organization.
3. See
auxiliary verb.
4. auxiliaries,foreign troops in the service of a nation at war.
5. Navy.a naval vessel designed for other than combat purposes, as a tug, supply ship, or transport.
6. Naut.a sailing vessel carrying an auxiliary propulsion engine or engines.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
