- happening or coming next after the first in a series of similar things or people; 2nd
- This is the second time it's happened.
- Italy scored a second goal just after half-time.
- the second of June/June 2nd
- He was the second to arrive.
- We have one child and are expecting our second in July.
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- next in order of importance, size, quality, etc. to one other person or thing
- Osaka is Japan's second-largest city.
- Birmingham, the UK’s second city
- Basketball is second only to soccer in global popularity.
- As a dancer, he is second to none (= nobody is a better dancer than he is).
- [only before noun] another; in addition to one that you already own or use
- They have a second home in Tuscany.
- teachers of English as a second language (= to people who already speak one or more other languages)
Word Origindeterminer Middle English: via Old French from Latin secundus ‘following, second’, from the base of sequi ‘follow’. The verb dates from the late 16th cent.
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second1