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Ancillary vs Tertiary - What's the difference?

ancillary | tertiary |

As adjectives the difference between ancillary and tertiary

is that ancillary is subordinate; secondary; auxiliary; accessory while tertiary is of third rank or order; subsequent.

As nouns the difference between ancillary and tertiary

is that ancillary is something that serves an ancillary function, such as an easel for a painter while tertiary is a tertiary feather.

As a proper noun Tertiary is

the first part of the Cenozoic era when modern flora and mammals appeared.

ancillary

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Subordinate; secondary; auxiliary; accessory.
  • * 1836 , :
  • how easily he took all things along with him,—the persons, the opinions, and the day, and nature became ancillary to a man.
  • * 1898 ,
  • [E]very organ of the body, whatever function it may perform, must also perform the other four functions in an ancillary manner.

    Noun

    (ancillaries)
  • Something that serves an ancillary function, such as an easel for a painter.
  • (archaic) An auxiliary; a subordinate.
  • References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    *

    tertiary

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of third rank or order; subsequent.
  • (chemistry) Possessing some quality in the third degree; having been subjected to the substitution of three atoms or radicals.
  • a tertiary alcohol, amine, or salt
  • (zoology, of quills) Growing on the innermost joint of a bird's wing; tertial.
  • Derived terms

    * tertiary care

    Coordinate terms

    (terms coordinate to tertiary) * primary (1) * secondary (2) * quaternary (4) * quinary (5) * senary (6) * septenary (7) * octonary (8) * nonary (9) * denary (10) * duodenary (12) * vigenary (20)

    See also

    * cubic

    Noun

    (tertiaries)
  • A tertiary feather.
  • A member of a Roman Catholic third order - the Franciscans, Dominicans and Carmelites among others.