second.
Number-two; following after the first one with nothing between them. The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number two.
Meaning & usage
Number-two; following after the first one with nothing between them. The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number two.
He lives on Second Street.
The second volume in "The Lord of the Rings" series is called "The Two Towers".
Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior.
His job is second priority, because his family is the most important thing in his life.
Being of the same kind as one that has preceded; another.
Residents of Texas prepared for Hurricane Harvey, which would in some ways turn out to become the second Hurricane Katrina.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-der. Proto-Italic *sekʷondo- Latin secundusbor. Old French secondbor. Middle English secunde English second From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
After the first; at the second rank.
Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system.
After the first occurrence but before the third.
He is batting second today.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-der. Proto-Italic *sekʷondo- Latin secundusbor. Old French secondbor. Middle English secunde English second From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
Something that is number two in a series.
Something that is next in rank, quality, precedence, position, status, or authority.
The place that is next below or after first in a race or contest.
A manufactured item that, though still usable, fails to meet quality control standards.
They were discounted because they contained blemishes, nicks or were otherwise factory seconds.
An additional helping of food.
That was good barbecue. I hope I can get seconds.
A chance or attempt to achieve what should have been done the first time, usually indicating success this time around. (See second-guess.)
The interval between two adjacent notes in a diatonic scale (either or both of them may be raised or lowered from the basic scale via any type of accidental).
The second gear of an engine.
Second base.
The agent of a party to an honour dispute whose role was to try to resolve the dispute or to make the necessary arrangements for a duel.
A Cub Scout appointed to assist a sixer.
A second-class honours degree.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-der. Proto-Italic *sekʷondo- Latin secundusbor. Old French secondbor. Middle English secunde English second From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
To agree as a second person to (a proposal), usually to reach a necessary quorum of two. (See etymology 3 for translations.)
I second the motion.
To follow in the next place; to succeed.
To climb after a lead climber.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-der. Proto-Italic *sekʷondo- Latin secundusbor. Old French secondbor. Middle English secunde English second From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
A unit of time historically and commonly defined as a sixtieth of a minute which the International System of Units more precisely defines as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of radiation corresponding to the transition between two hyperfine levels of caesium-133 in a ground state at a temperature of absolute zero and at rest.
A unit of angle equal to one-sixtieth of a minute of arc or one part in 3600 of a degree.
A short, indeterminate amount of time.
I'll be there in a second.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Old French secondebor. Middle English secunde English second From Middle English secunde, seconde, borrowed from Old French seconde, from Medieval Latin secunda, short for secunda pars minuta (“second diminished part (of the hour)”).
To transfer temporarily to alternative employment.
The army officer was seconded while he held civil office.
To assist or support; to back.
To agree as a second person to (a proposal), usually to reach a necessary quorum of two. (This may come from etymology 1 above.)
I second the motion.
To accompany by singing as the second performer.
Where this word comes from
From Middle French seconder, from Latin secundō (“assist, make favorable”).
One who supports another in a contest or combat, such as a dueller's assistant.
One who supports or seconds a motion, or the act itself, as required in certain meetings to pass judgement etc.
If we want the motion to pass, we will need a second.
Aid; assistance; help.
Where this word comes from
From Middle French seconder, from Latin secundō (“assist, make favorable”).
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.