ancillary
Helping the main
Ancillary means supplementary or providing support to something more central: ancillary services, ancillary staff.
Hospital ancillary workers include cleaners, porters, and kitchen staff—essential but not the medical professionals.
The word sometimes suggests secondary importance: The revenue was ancillary to our main purpose.
As a noun, an ancillary is a person or thing in a supporting role.
Stored duplicate for recovery
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- supplementalAdded to complete
- reserveSupply kept back
- additionalBeyond the existing amount
secondary · extra · standby · spare · relief · reinforcement · fallback · contingent
Supporting staff member
- attendantOne who assists others
- assistantOne who aids another
- helperOne who aids another
- orderlyArranged with care
technician · paraprofessional · clerical · administrative · custodial · maintenance · groundskeeper · porter
Something added to complete
- appendixSupplementary section after main text
- addendumSupplementary text at end
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- add-onOptional supplementary component
extension · accessory · appendage · codicil · postscript · rider · tailpiece · annex
Connected member organization
- divisionSplitting into parts
- branchDivision or woody limb
- offshootDerivative outgrowth
- spinoffDerived work from original
satellite · unit · holding · arm · wing · outpost · subunit · franchise
Giving help to
- facilitatingMaking something simpler
- contributingGiving to a cause
- aidingProviding assistance to
- bolsteringStrengthening or supporting
reinforcing · enabling · helping · backstage · behind-the-scenes · supporting · sustaining · underpinning
backup
Stored duplicate for recovery
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- supplementalAdded to complete
- reserveSupply kept back
additional · secondary · extra · standby · spare · relief · reinforcement · fallback · contingent · collateral
aide
Supporting staff member
orderly · technician · paraprofessional · clerical · administrative · custodial · maintenance · groundskeeper · porter
supplement
Something added to complete
- appendixSupplementary section after main text
- addendumSupplementary text at end
- attachmentConnection or fondness
add-on · extension · accessory · appendage · codicil · postscript · rider · tailpiece · annex · accompaniment
affiliate
Connected member organization
spinoff · satellite · unit · holding · arm · wing · outpost · subunit · franchise · chapter
assisting
Giving help to
- facilitatingMaking something simpler
- contributingGiving to a cause
- aidingProviding assistance to
bolstering · reinforcing · enabling · helping · backstage · behind-the-scenes · supporting · sustaining · underpinning · servicing
- extrasextra, add-ons, add-on, extras, addition
- secondarysecondary, second fiddle, second string, second choice, second place
- Australian HealthcareMedicare, GP, general practitioner, doctor, hospital
- nonessentialunnecessary, unneeded, nonessential, inessential, dispensable
- prioritypriority, top priority, high priority, low-priority, first priority
ancillarymain
Chief or primary element
primary · principal · central · core · fundamental
ancillaryindependent
Free from external control
autonomous · obstructive · counteractive · self-sufficient · adverse