ancillary

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 31, 2023 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>ancillary</strong> &#149; \AN-suh-lair-ee\&nbsp; &#149; <em>adjective</em><br /> <p><em>Ancillary</em> is an adjective used in formal speech and writing as a synonym of <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supplementary"><em>supplementary</em></a> to describe things that provide something additional to a main part or function of something else. <em>Ancillary</em> can also mean "of lower or secondary class or rank."</p> <p>// One <em>ancillary</em> benefit of Beatrice's job at the movie theater is the ability to catch an early glimpse of new releases.</p> <p>// Her job is to oversee the flagship store and its <em>ancillary</em> outlets. </p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancillary">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"... The Mitre is a gorgeous Grade II-listed boutique hotel, set on the banks of the River Thames. Rebuilt in the mid-18th century, the building dates back to 1665 and was originally used as an <em>ancillary</em> accommodation for guests of King Charles II." — Joanne Shurvell, <em>Forbes</em>, 28 Dec. 2022</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p>If you’re already familiar with <em>ancillary</em>, pull up a chair and help yourself to a side dish of trivia. The word comes from the Latin word <em>ancilla</em>, meaning "a female servant," which also gave us the rarer English word <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancilla">ancilla</a></em>, meaning "an aid to achieving or mastering something difficult." While the English <em>ancilla</em> (which made its debut a couple of centuries after <em>ancillary</em>) is unlikely to be encountered except in very specialized contexts (such as philosophy or <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quantum%20computing">quantum c