Knowledge

/

ArcaMax

Today's Word "subaltern"

A person holding a subordinate position on

Published in Vocabulary

subaltern \suhb-OL-tuhrn; SUHB-uhl-tuhrn\ (adjective) - 1 : Ranked or ranged below; subordinate; inferior. 2 : (Chiefly British) Ranking as a junior officer; being below the rank of captain. 3 : (Logic) Asserting only a part of what is asserted in a related proposition.

(noun) - 1 : A person holding a subordinate position. 2 : (Chiefly British) A commissioned military officer below the rank of captain. 3 : (Logic) A subaltern proposition.

"At the gates of the fortress, Fouquet was fretting and fuming in his carriage as he awaited the return of the subaltern, who finally came back in a rather sulky mood." -- Alexandre Dumas, 'The Man in the Iron Mask'

 

Subaltern derives from Late Latin subalternus, "subordinate," from Latin sub-, "under" + Latin alternus, "alternate," from alter, "other."


 

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

 

Related Channels

EcoTips

EcoTips

By Danny Seo
The Word Guy

The Word Guy

By Rob Kyff

Comics

Christopher Weyant Drew Sheneman Kevin Siers Dana Summers Mike Peters Daddy's Home