Etymology From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
1
Number-two; following after the first one with nothing between them. The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number two.
He lives on Second Street.
The second volume in "The Lord of the Rings" series is called "The Two Towers".
4 more examples
He became the second player to hit 50000 runs for his county.
You take the first one, and I'll have the second.
The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen.[…]The second note, the high alarum, not so familiar and always important since it indicates the paramount sin in Man's private calendar, took most of them by surprise although they had been well prepared.1963, Margery Allingham, “Eye Witness”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 249:
Malay is the lingua franca of several Southeast Asia countries and has been simplified by its use as a second language by non-native speakers. For example, the Malay plural is formed by repeating a word twice – buku means book and buku-buku means books.2021 April 25, John Malathronas, “Which languages are easiest – and most difficult – for native English speakers to learn?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2022:
2
Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior.
His job is second priority, because his family is the most important thing in his life.
May the day when we become the second people upon earth […] be the day of our utter extirpation!1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation I. Richard I and the Abbot of Boxley.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 6:
3
Being of the same kind as one that has preceded; another.
Residents of Texas prepared for Hurricane Harvey, which would in some ways turn out to become the second Hurricane Katrina.
A Daniel ſtill ſay I, a ſecond Daniel,[…]c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 180, column 2:
Etymology From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
1
With superlative After the first; at the second rank.
Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system.
2
After the first occurrence but before the third.
He is batting second today.
second
noun
Etymology From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
A chance or attempt to achieve what should have been done the first time, usually indicating success this time around. (See second-guess.)
The policeman smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Now if you'll follow me, I'll escort you to the Victoria." "Oh, there's no need of that. If you'll just point me in the right direction..." That's what got you in trouble the first time around. You don't need a second.2003, Sheila Ryan Wallace, The Sea Captain and His Ladies, page 22:
Smoky Joe ran against a Houston horse named Cherokee Chief. “Don't hit him,” Jeanine said to the jockey. “Maybe once. But you don't get a second.”2009, Paulette Jiles, Stormy Weather, page 37:
1 more example
I'll have one chance to show them that's no longer true. One chance ... and if I stumble, I'll not get a second.2011, Karen Miller, The Innocent Mage:
7
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music The interval between two adjacent notes in a diatonic scale (either or both of them may be raised or lowered from the basic scale via any type of accidental).
The agent of a party to an honour dispute whose role was to try to resolve the dispute or to make the necessary arrangements for a duel.
Since he [i.e., Abraham Lincoln] had very long arms, he chose cavalry broadswords and took lessons in sword fighting from a West Point graduate; and, on the appointed day, he and [James] Shields met on a sandbar in the Mississippi River, prepared to fight to the death; but, at the last minute, their seconds interrupted and stopped the duel.1936, Dale Carnegie, ‘If You Want to Gather Honey, Don’t Kick Over the Beehive’ (part 1, chapter 1), in How to Win Friends and Influence People:
Joint enterprise law dates back to at least the 16th century. It was later developed to deter duelling by making seconds and doctors liable for murder.2016 October 31, Owen Bowcott, “Appeal court upholds 'joint enterprise' guilty verdicts”, in The Guardian:
11
A Cub Scout appointed to assist a sixer.
Many packs have a sixer's council where the sixers, and sometimes the seconds, meet with Akela and some of the other leaders.1995, Boy Scouts of Canada. National Council, The Cub Book:
[Stephen Hawking] […] would go to Cambridge, he said, if they gave him a first, and stay at Oxford if they gave him a second. He got a first.2004, William H. Cropper, Great Physicists, page 454:
Etymology From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“to follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).
1
To agree as a second person to (a proposal), usually to reach a necessary quorum of two. (See etymology 3 for translations.)
I second the motion.
Though seconding (or fifthing) the praise for “BoJack Horseman” and “In Treatment,” I think I’ll use the majority of my space to discuss “You’re the Worst.”2017, Critics Pick the TV Shows That Get Mental Health Right — IndieWire Survey:
2
To follow in the next place; to succeed.
In the method of nature, a low valley is immediately seconded with an ambitious hill.1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
Sin is usually seconded with sin.1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
3
Climbing, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To climb after a lead climber.
Etymology From Middle English secunde, seconde, borrowed from Old French seconde, from Medieval Latin secunda, short for secunda pars minuta (“second diminished part (of the hour)”).
1
A unit of time historically and commonly defined as a sixtieth of a minute which the International System of Units more precisely defines as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of radiation corresponding to the transition between two hyperfine levels of caesium-133 in a ground state at a temperature of absolute zero and at rest.
For this reason, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that spinach be cooked at 160º for 15 seconds, which kills potentially fatal bacteria.2021 July 1, Gregory McNamee, “Does spinach make you strong? Ask Popeye – and science”, in CNN, archived from the original on 11 Jun 2025:
2
A unit of angle equal to one-sixtieth of a minute of arc or one part in 3600 of a degree.
Exposure of aluminum to the air causes a near instantaneous oxide. So rapid is the oxidation that it is safe to say you never see aluminum that has no oxide on its surface... The initial exposure of aluminum, regardless of alloy, will form a thin oxide film on the surface the second it is exposed.2020, L. William Zahner, “Corrosion Characteristics”, in Aluminum Surfaces: a Guide to Alloys, Finishes, Fabrication and Maintenance in Architecture and Art, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 287:
Etymology From Middle French seconder, from Latin secundō (“assist, make favorable”).
1
UK To transfer temporarily to alternative employment.
The army officer was seconded while he held civil office.
Things changed quickly from 1892 when Sam Fay was seconded from the L.S.W.R. as General Manager & Secretary.1961 October, “Talking of Trains: Last of the M.S.W.J.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 585–586:
2 more examples
Daniel had still been surprised, however, to find the lab area deserted, all the scientists apparently seconded by Cleomides's military friends.1998, Paul Leonard, chapter 9, in Dreamstone Moon:
As The Signpost reported, all was not well with Wikilambda. Ten days prior to the article, a group of Google employees seconded to Abstract Wikipedia had released a damning report on Meta-Wiki, the site where projects of the Wikimedia Foundation are documented.2026, Michael Falk, “Wikilambda the ultimate: the Wikimedia foundation’s search for the perfect language”, in AI & Society: Knowledge, Culture and Communication, →DOI:
2
To assist or support; to back.
Wee haue Supplyes, to ſecond our Attempt:[…]c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 91, column 1:
In human works, tho’ labour’d on with pain, / A thouſand movements ſcarce one purpoſe gain; / In God's, one ſingle can its End produce, / Yet ſerves to ſecond too ſome other Uſe.1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle I, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 6, line 61:
3
To agree as a second person to (a proposal), usually to reach a necessary quorum of two. (This may come from etymology 1 above.)
I second the motion.
4
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music To accompany by singing as the second performer.
Etymology From Middle French seconder, from Latin secundō (“assist, make favorable”).
1
One who supports another in a contest or combat, such as a dueller's assistant.
The dogs however parted, and after a little handling by their seconds immediately returned to the charge1820, Pierce Egan, Sporting Anecdotes, page 414:
They find ways to take advice from their seconds or they arrange the schedule against you as they did to me in the finals of the 1962 World Tournament1973, Frank Brady, Bobby Fischer: Profile of a Prodigy, page 201:
2 more examples
Vaguely reminiscent of the use of "seconds" among duelists, this provision required that the two hostile nations stop threatening each other and, instead, to let two appointed countries (their "seconds") try and solve their difficulties1992, Mark W. Janis, International Courts for the Twenty-First Century, page 10:
Theodore's practice is described as a model for the housemasters and their seconds2009, David Brakke, Demons and the Making of the Monk: Spiritual Combat in Early ...:
2
One who supports or seconds a motion, or the act itself, as required in certain meetings to pass judgement etc.
If we want the motion to pass, we will need a second.