auxiliary

Universal Words adjective, noun adjective 1 (of workers) giving help or support to the main group of workers: auxiliary nurses / workers / services 2 (technical) (of a piece of equipment) used if there is a problem with the main piece of equipment: an auxiliary pump noun (plural auxiliaries) 1 (also auxiliary verb) (grammar) a verb such as be, do and have used with main verbs to show tense, etc. and to form questions and negatives: In the question 'Do you know where he has gone?', 'do' and 'has' are auxiliaries. 2 a worker who gives help or support to the main group of workers: nursing auxiliaries