| preliminary | (adjective) denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important | - |
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| (noun) a minor match preceding the main event | Synonyms: prelim |
| (noun) something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows | Synonyms: overture, prelude |
| primary | (adjective) of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary | - |
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| (adjective) of or being the essential or basic part | Synonyms: basal, elemental, elementary |
| (adjective) most important element | Synonyms: chief, main, master, principal |
| (adjective) not derived from or reducible to something else; basic | - |
| (noun) a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen | Synonyms: primary election |
| (noun) one of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing | Synonyms: primary feather, primary quill |
| (noun) coil forming the part of an electrical circuit such that changing current in it induces a current in a neighboring circuit | Synonyms: primary coil, primary winding |
| (noun) (astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it | - |
| probationary | (adjective) under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon | Synonyms: provisional, provisionary, tentative |
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| proprietary | (adjective) protected by trademark or patent or copyright; made or produced or distributed by one having exclusive rights | - |
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| (noun) an unincorporated business owned by a single person who is responsible for its liabilities and entitled to its profits | Synonyms: proprietorship |
| provisionary | (adjective) under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon | Synonyms: probationary, provisional, tentative |
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| pulmonary | (adjective) relating to or affecting the lungs | Synonyms: pneumonic, pulmonic |
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| pupillary | (adjective) of or relating to the pupil of the eye | - |
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| quandary | (noun) state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options | Synonyms: dilemma |
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| (noun) a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one | Synonyms: plight, predicament |
| quatercentenary | (noun) the 400th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: quatercentennial |
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| quaternary | (adjective) consisting of or especially arranged in sets of four | Synonyms: quaternate |
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| (adjective) coming next after the third and just before the fifth in position or time or degree or magnitude | Synonyms: 4th, fourth |
| (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one | Synonyms: 4, four, foursome, IV, Little Joe, quadruplet, quartet, quatern, quaternion, quaternity, tetrad |
| quincentenary | (adjective) of or relating to a 500th anniversary | Synonyms: quincentennial |
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| (noun) the 500th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: quincentennial |
| reactionary | (adjective) opposed to political or social liberalism or reform | Synonyms: far-right, reactionist |
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| (noun) an extreme conservative; an opponent of progress or liberalism | Synonyms: extreme right-winger, ultraconservative |
| recessionary | (adjective) of or pertaining to a recession | Synonyms: recessive |
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| reliquary | (noun) a container where religious relics are stored or displayed (especially relics of saints) | - |
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| residuary | (adjective) relating to or indicating a remainder | Synonyms: residual |
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| (adjective) entitled to the residue of an estate (after payment of debts and specific gifts) | - |
| reversionary | (adjective) of or relating to or involving a reversion (especially a legal reversion) | - |
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| revolutionary | (adjective) advocating or engaged in revolution | - |
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| (adjective) relating to or having the nature of a revolution | - |
| (adjective) of or relating to or characteristic or causing an axial or orbital turn | Synonyms: rotatory |
| (adjective) markedly new or introducing radical change | Synonyms: radical |
| (noun) a radical supporter of political or social revolution | Synonyms: revolutionist, subversive, subverter |
| rosary | (noun) a string of beads used in counting prayers (especially by Catholics) | Synonyms: prayer beads |
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| rosemary | (noun) extremely pungent leaves used fresh or dried as seasoning for especially meats | - |
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| (noun) widely cultivated for its fragrant grey-green leaves used in cooking and in perfumery | Synonyms: Rosmarinus officinalis |
| rotary | (adjective) relating to or characterized by rotation | - |
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| (adjective) describing a circle; moving in a circle | Synonyms: circular, orbitual |
| (noun) a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island | Synonyms: circle, roundabout, traffic circle |
| (noun) electrical converter consisting of a synchronous machine that converts alternating to direct current or vice versa | Synonyms: rotary converter, synchronous converter |
| rudimentary | (adjective) being or involving basic facts or principles | Synonyms: fundamental, underlying |
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| (adjective) being in the earliest stages of development | - |
| (adjective) not fully developed in mature animals | Synonyms: vestigial |
| salary | (noun) something that remunerates | Synonyms: earnings, pay, remuneration, wage |
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| salivary | (adjective) of or relating to saliva | - |
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| salutary | (adjective) tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health | Synonyms: good |
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| sanctuary | (noun) area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choir; often enclosed by a lattice or railing | Synonyms: bema, chancel |
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| (noun) a shelter from danger or hardship | Synonyms: asylum, refuge |
| (noun) a consecrated place where sacred objects are kept | - |
| sanguinary | (adjective) marked by eagerness to resort to violence and bloodshed | Synonyms: bloodthirsty, bloody-minded |
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| (adjective) accompanied by bloodshed | Synonyms: butcherly, gory, sanguineous, slaughterous |
| sanitary | (adjective) free from filth and pathogens | Synonyms: healthful |
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| scapulary | (noun) garment consisting of a long wide piece of woolen cloth worn over the shoulders with an opening for the head; part of a monastic habit | Synonyms: scapular |
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| scary | (adjective) provoking fear or terror | Synonyms: chilling, shivery, shuddery |
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| secondary | (adjective) being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate | - |
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| (adjective) depending on or incidental to what is original or primary | - |
| (adjective) inferior in rank or status | Synonyms: junior-grade, lower-ranking, lowly, petty, subaltern |
| (adjective) not of major importance | - |
| (adjective) belonging to a lower class or rank | - |
| (noun) coil such that current is induced in it by passing a current through the primary coil | Synonyms: secondary coil, secondary winding |
| (noun) the defensive football players who line up behind the linemen | - |
| secretary | (noun) a desk used for writing | Synonyms: escritoire, secretaire, writing table |
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| (noun) an assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization | Synonyms: secretarial assistant |
| (noun) a person who is head of an administrative department of government | - |
| (noun) a person to whom a secret is entrusted | Synonyms: repository |
| sectary | (noun) a member of a sect | Synonyms: sectarian, sectarist |
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| sedentary | (adjective) requiring sitting or little activity | - |
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| sedimentary | (adjective) produced by the action of water | Synonyms: aqueous |
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| (adjective) resembling or containing or formed by the accumulation of sediment | - |
| semicentenary | (adjective) of or relating to or marking the 50th anniversary | Synonyms: semicentennial |
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| (noun) the 50th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: semicentennial |
| seminary | (noun) a theological school for training ministers or priests or rabbis | - |
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| (noun) a private place of education for the young | - |
| septenary | (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one | Synonyms: 7, heptad, septet, seven, sevener, VII |
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| solitary | (adjective) being the only one; single and isolated from others | Synonyms: lone, lonesome, only, sole |
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| (adjective) lacking companions or companionship | Synonyms: alone, lone, lonely |
| (adjective) of plants and animals; not growing or living in groups or colonies | Synonyms: nongregarious, nonsocial |
| (adjective) devoid of creatures | Synonyms: lonely, unfrequented |
| (adjective) characterized by or preferring solitude | Synonyms: lone, lonely |
| (noun) one who lives in solitude | Synonyms: hermit, recluse, solitudinarian, troglodyte |
| (noun) confinement of a prisoner in isolation from other prisoners | Synonyms: solitary confinement |
| stagflationary | (adjective) characteristic of or promoting stagflation | - |
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| stationary | (adjective) not capable of being moved | - |
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| (adjective) standing still | - |
| statuary | (adjective) of or relating to or suitable for statues | - |
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| (noun) statues collectively | - |
| stipendiary | (adjective) pertaining to or of the nature of a stipend or allowance | - |
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| (adjective) for which money is paid | Synonyms: compensable, paying, remunerative, salaried |
| (adjective) receiving or eligible for compensation | Synonyms: compensated, remunerated, salaried |
| (noun) (United Kingdom) a paid magistrate (appointed by the Home Secretary) dealing with police cases | Synonyms: stipendiary magistrate |
| subliterary | (adjective) not written as or intended to be literature | - |
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| sublunary | (adjective) situated between the earth and the moon | Synonyms: cislunar, sublunar |
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| (adjective) of this earth | Synonyms: sublunar, terrestrial |
| subsidiary | (adjective) functioning in a supporting capacity | Synonyms: auxiliary, supplemental, supplementary |
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| (noun) a company that is completely controlled by another company | Synonyms: subsidiary company |
| (noun) an assistant subject to the authority or control of another | Synonyms: foot soldier, subordinate, underling |
| sugary | (adjective) containing sugar | - |
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| summary | (adjective) briefly giving the gist of something | Synonyms: compact, compendious, succinct |
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| (adjective) performed speedily and without formality | Synonyms: drumhead |
| (noun) a brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form | Synonyms: sum-up |
| sumptuary | (adjective) regulating or controlling expenditure or personal behavior | - |
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| superlunary | (adjective) situated beyond the moon or its orbit around the earth | Synonyms: superlunar, translunar, translunary |
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| (adjective) unworldly or ethereal | Synonyms: superlunar, translunar, translunary |
| supernumerary | (adjective) more than is needed, desired, or required | Synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, surplus |
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| (noun) a minor actor in crowd scenes | Synonyms: extra, spear carrier |
| (noun) a person serving no apparent function | - |
| supplementary | (adjective) added to complete or make up a deficiency | Synonyms: supplemental |
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| (adjective) functioning in a supporting capacity | Synonyms: auxiliary, subsidiary, supplemental |
| syllabary | (noun) a writing system whose characters represent syllables | Synonyms: syllabic script |
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| teary | (adjective) with eyes full of tears | Synonyms: teary-eyed, watery-eyed |
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| temporary | (adjective) not permanent; not lasting | Synonyms: impermanent |
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| (adjective) lacking continuity or regularity | Synonyms: irregular |
| (noun) a worker (especially in an office) hired on a temporary basis | Synonyms: temp, temporary worker |
| tercentenary | (noun) the 300th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: tercentennial, triennial |
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| ternary | (adjective) having three units or components or elements | Synonyms: treble, triple, triplex |
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| (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one | Synonyms: 3, deuce-ace, III, leash, tercet, ternion, terzetto, three, threesome, tierce, trey, triad, trine, trinity, trio, triplet, troika |
| tertiary | (adjective) coming next after the second and just before the fourth in position | Synonyms: 3rd, third |
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| testamentary | (adjective) of or relating to a will or testament or bequeathed by a will or testament | - |
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| titulary | (adjective) of or relating to a legal title to something | Synonyms: titular |
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| topiary | (noun) making decorative shapes by trimming shrubs or trees | - |
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| (noun) a garden having shrubs clipped or trimmed into decorative shapes especially of animals | - |
| translunary | (adjective) situated beyond the moon or its orbit around the earth | Synonyms: superlunar, superlunary, translunar |
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| (adjective) unworldly or ethereal | Synonyms: superlunar, superlunary, translunar |
| tributary | (adjective) tending to bring about; being partly responsible for | Synonyms: conducive, contributing, contributive, contributory |
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| (adjective) paying tribute | - |
| (adjective) (of a stream) flowing into a larger stream | - |
| (noun) a branch that flows into the main stream | Synonyms: affluent, confluent, feeder |
| tricentenary | (adjective) of or relating to or completing a period of 300 years | Synonyms: tricentennial |
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| tutelary | (adjective) providing protective supervision; watching over or safeguarding | Synonyms: custodial, tutelar |
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| unarbitrary | (adjective) not subject to individual determination | Synonyms: nonarbitrary |
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| unary | (adjective) consisting of or involving a single element or component | - |
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| (noun) the bijective base-1 numeral system: in order to represent a number N, an arbitrarily chosen symbol representing 1 is repeated N times. | Synonyms: unary numeral system |
| uncomplimentary | (adjective) tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage | - |
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| (adjective) showing or representing unfavorably | Synonyms: unflattering |
| undersecretary | (noun) a secretary immediately subordinate to the head of a department of government | - |
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| unitary | (adjective) characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is held by one central authority | - |
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| (adjective) of or pertaining to or involving the use of units | - |
| (adjective) relating to or characterized by or aiming toward unity | - |
| (adjective) having the indivisible character of a unit | Synonyms: one |
| unliterary | (adjective) marked by lack of affectation or pedantry | Synonyms: nonliterary |
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| unmercenary | (adjective) not mercenary; not influenced by financial gains | - |
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| unmilitary | (adjective) not associated with soldiers or the military | Synonyms: nonmilitary |
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| unnecessary | (adjective) not necessary | Synonyms: unneeded |
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| unparliamentary | (adjective) so rude and abusive as to be unsuitable for parliament | - |
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| unsanitary | (adjective) not sanitary or healthful | Synonyms: insanitary, unhealthful |
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| unvoluntary | (adjective) not subject to the control of the will | Synonyms: involuntary, nonvoluntary |
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| unwary | (adjective) not alert to danger or deception | - |
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| unweary | (adjective) with unreduced energy | Synonyms: untired, unwearied |
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| urinary | (adjective) of or relating to the function or production or secretion of urine | - |
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| (adjective) of or relating to the urinary system of the body | - |
| usufructuary | (adjective) of or relating to the nature of a usufruct | - |
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| (noun) someone who holds property by usufruct | - |
| vagary | (noun) an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.) | - |
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| valetudinary | (adjective) of or relating to or characteristic of a person who is a valetudinarian | Synonyms: valetudinarian |
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| vary | (verb) become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence | Synonyms: alter, change |
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| (verb) make something more diverse and varied | Synonyms: motley, variegate |
| (verb) be at variance with; be out of line with | Synonyms: depart, deviate, diverge |
| (verb) be subject to change in accordance with a variable | - |
| vestiary | (adjective) relating to clothing (especially vestments) | - |
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| veterinary | (adjective) of or relating to veterinarians or veterinary medicine | - |
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| (noun) a doctor who practices veterinary medicine | Synonyms: vet, veterinarian, veterinary surgeon |
| vicenary | (adjective) of or relating to or based on 20 | - |
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| vinegary | (adjective) having a sour disposition; ill-tempered | Synonyms: vinegarish |
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| (adjective) tasting or smelling like vinegar | Synonyms: acetose, acetous, vinegarish |
| visionary | (adjective) not practical or realizable; speculative | Synonyms: airy, impractical, Laputan, windy |
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| (noun) a person with unusual powers of foresight | Synonyms: illusionist, seer |
| (noun) a person given to fanciful speculations and enthusiasms with little regard for what is actually possible | - |
| vocabulary | (noun) a language user's knowledge of words | Synonyms: lexicon, mental lexicon |
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| (noun) the system of techniques or symbols serving as a means of expression (as in arts or crafts) | - |
| (noun) a listing of the words used in some enterprise | - |
| volary | (noun) a building where birds are kept | Synonyms: aviary, bird sanctuary |
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| voluntary | (adjective) of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled | - |
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| (adjective) controlled by individual volition | - |
| (noun) composition (often improvised) for a solo instrument (especially solo organ) and not a regular part of a religious service or musical performance | - |
| (noun) (military) a person who freely enlists for service | Synonyms: military volunteer, volunteer |
| voluptuary | (adjective) displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses | Synonyms: epicurean, luxuriant, luxurious, sybaritic, voluptuous |
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| (noun) a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses | Synonyms: sybarite |
| votary | (noun) one bound by vows to a religion or life of worship or service | - |
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| (noun) a priest or priestess (or consecrated worshipper) in a non-Christian religion or cult | - |
| (noun) a devoted (almost religiously so) adherent of a cause or person or activity | - |
| wary | (adjective) marked by keen caution and watchful prudence | - |
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| (adjective) openly distrustful and unwilling to confide | Synonyms: leery, mistrustful, suspicious, untrusting |
| weary | (adjective) physically and mentally fatigued | Synonyms: aweary |
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| (verb) exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress | Synonyms: fag, fag out, fatigue, jade, outwear, tire, tire out, wear, wear down, wear out, wear upon |
| (verb) lose interest or become bored with something or somebody | Synonyms: fatigue, jade, pall, tire |
| zonary | (adjective) relating to or of the nature of a zone | Synonyms: zonal |
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