subalternate

[ suhb-awl-ter-nit, -al- ]
See synonyms for subalternate on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. Botany. placed singly along an axis, but tending to become grouped oppositely.

Origin of subalternate

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Medieval Latin subalternātus (past participle of subalternāre to subordinate), equivalent to subaltern(us) subaltern + -ātus-ate1

Other words from subalternate

  • sub·al·ter·na·tion [suhb-awl-ter-ney-shuhn, -al-], /sʌbˌɔl tərˈneɪ ʃən, -ˌæl-/, noun

Words Nearby subalternate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for subalternate

subalternate

/ (sʌbˈɔːltənɪt) /


adjective
  1. (of leaves) having an arrangement intermediate between alternate and opposite

  2. following in turn

  1. of lesser quality or status

Derived forms of subalternate

  • subalternation (sʌbˌɔːltəˈneɪʃən), noun

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