secondario

Secondario is an Italian adjective and noun meaning secondary or subsidiary. It derives from the Latin secundarius, from secundus meaning following or second. The term is used across contexts to indicate something of lesser priority or order relative to a primario or primary element.

As an adjective, secondario accompanies a noun to indicate secondary status, later occurrence, or auxiliary function. Examples include ruolo secondario (secondary role), obiettivo secondario (secondary objective), and percorso secondario (secondary route). The word is often paired with primario to distinguish primary from secondary elements.

In education, the term appears in official classifications of the Italian school system. Scuola secondaria di primo grado refers to lower secondary school (approximately ages 11–14), while scuola secondaria di secondo grado refers to upper secondary school (approximately ages 14–19). These levels sit between scuola primaria (primary school) and higher education.

In science and engineering, secondario denotes components or circuits that are not primary. Common phrases include trasformatore secondario (secondary transformer winding) and bobina secondaria (secondary coil). In such contexts, secondario is contrasted with primario to indicate the relative position or function within a system.

In medicine and public health, secondario is used to describe secondary or indirect effects, such as effetti secondari (side effects) or secondary complications. While the term is widely understood in Italian, its exact sense depends on the field and the accompanying noun.

Overall, secondario functions as a versatile descriptor for anything that follows or supplements a primary element, with domain-specific nuances in language, education, science, and health.