subaltern

  1. Adjective.  Of a lower rank or position; inferior or secondary.
  2. Noun.  a subordinate.
  3. Noun.  (British) a commissioned officer having a rank below that of captain; a lieutenant or second lieutenant.
  4. Noun.  (logic) A subaltern proposition; a proposition implied by a universal proposition. For example, ''some crows are black'' is a subaltern of ''all crows are black''.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.