auxiliary: Meaning and Definition of

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
  4. foreign troops in the service of a nation at war.
  5. a naval vessel designed for other than combat purposes, as a tug, supply ship, or transport.
  6. a sailing vessel carrying an auxiliary propulsion engine or engines.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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