Also 6–7 -erne. [ad. late L. subalternus (Boethius, in sense 1 b): see SUB- III and ALTERN. Cf. F. subalterne (from 15th c.), It., Sp., Pg. subalterno.
Johnson, 1755, has su·baltern, which is now the prevailing stressing in England, and, for the logical sense, in U.S. The stressing suba·ltern first appears recorded in Bailey’s (folio) Dict. of 1730.]
A. adj. † 1. Succeeding in turn. Obs. rare.
1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Subalterne, succeeding, following by course and order.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 363. Therefore God framed the first Intelligence, and that mediating the first Heaven, and so in their subaltern order to the Tenth.
1762. Mills, Syst. Pract. Husb., I. 469. The main stem, advancing higher and higher, left behind the subaltern blossom of a lower joint.
b. Logic. Subaltern genus (or species): a genus that is at the same time a species of a higher genus.
1654. Z. Coke, Logick, 21. Subaltern Genus is, that is successive and by turn, that is when it is genus of them contained under it, and species of that which is above it.
1692. Ray, Disc., II. iv. (1732), 149. A distinct subaltern Genus.
1725. Watts, Logic, I. iii. § 3. This sort of universal Ideas, which may either be consider’d as a Genus, or a Species, is call’d Subaltern.
1826. Whately, Logic, I. ii. § 5 (1827), 65. Iron-ore is a subaltern species or genus, being both the genus of magnet, and a species of mineral.
1864. Bowen, Logic, iv. 72. The intermediate Concepts are the Subaltern Genera or Species.
2. Of inferior status, quality or importance. a. Of a person or body of persons: Subordinate, inferior. Now rare.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., I. v. 26. From the King … ought to flow all auctoritie to the inferiour and subalterne Iustices.
1597. Skene, De Verb. Sign., s.v. Homagium, Sum are maist chiefe and principall, sik as the King…. Uther over-lordes are inferiour and subalterne.
1598. Dallington, Meth. Trav., Q 2 b. To this Parliament, they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 472. The Iudges for terme of life, and officers subalterne changing from yeare to yeare.
1695. Blackmore, Pr. Arth., VI. 681. Inferiour, subaltern Divinities.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Subaltern Persons in an Epic Poem.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. 127. All such subaltern actors as played between the acts.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, VIII. xiii. (Rtldg.), 309. Some subaltern attendants about the king’s person.
1814. Scott, Wav., li. He had been long employed as a subaltern agent and spy by those in the confidence of the Chevalier.
1875. Gladstone, Glean. (1879), VI. 189. A case in which the statute prescribed a major amount of observance, but the subaltern or executive authority was content with a minor amount.
Const. to. 1597. Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1848), II. 154. Na maister … (except of the sang school), bot sic as sal be subalterne to the maister of the grammer school.
1609. Overbury, Observ. France (1626), 17. Then hath euery Towne and Fortresse particular Gouernours, which are not subalterne to that of the Prouince.
1699. Burnet, 39 Art., i. 18. Others holding a vast number of Gods, either all equal or subaltern to one another.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Patriarchs … had several Wives…; but there were several subaltern to the principal Wife.
b. Hence, of rank, power, authority, action: Of or pertaining to a subordinate or inferior.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xxxv. (1888), 126. Where to much distraction is, and subalterne professions be made seuerall heads.
1601. J. Wheeler, Treat. Comm., 25. A Deputie, and certaine discreet persons … who … haue subalterne power to exercise Merchants law.
1602. R. Carew, Cornwall, 85 b. Neither can the parish Constables well brooke the same, because it submitteth them to a subalterne commaund.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, IV. vi. 295. They have a subaltern court paid to them by persons of the best rank.
1817. Lady Morgan, France, I. (1818), I. 18. Gallantly fighting his way through every subaltern degree of his profession.
1822. Scott, Nigel, x. Protect the poor against subaltern oppression.
1868. Gladstone, Juv. Mundi, xi. 416. Sometimes the sovereignty was local, or subaltern.
c. Of immaterial things. (In recent use U.S.)
1644. Digby, Nat. Bodies, xxiii. 204. Which [motion] when it is once in act, hath … many other subalterne motions ouer which it presideth.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 196. The vanity of that Faith, which is founded upon causes subaltern.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 72, ¶ 2. You have shown yourself not ignorant of the value of those subaltern endowments.
1776. Burney, Hist. Mus. (1789), I. i. 61. These modes had other subaltern modes that were dependent on them.
1839. Hallam, Lit. Eur., III. iv. § 55. All causes of wealth, except those he has enumerated, Serra holds to be subaltern or temporary.
1866. Whipple, Char. & Charac. Men, 22. The power and working intelligence of the subaltern natures it uses.
1893. in J. H. Barrows, World’s Parl. Relig., I. 256. Not a subaltern science to dogmatic theology.
† d. Of material things. Obs.
1733. trans. Winslow’s Anat. (1756), I. 302. The Composition of the Fibres of this Muscle, and its division into several subaltern Muscles.
3. Subaltern officer: an officer in the army of junior rank, i.e., below that of captain. Hence subaltern rank, etc.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2396/3. Count Strozzi … was … Shot dead … and two or three Subalterne Officers wounded.
1702. Milit. Dict. (1704), s.v. Officer, Subaltern-Officers. The Lieutenant, Ensigns, and Cornets of Horse, Foot, and Dragoons, are so call’d.
a. 1721. Prior, Dial. Dead (1907), 203. Had not I equally my Captains, and Subaltern Officers?
1807. Med. Jrnl., XVII. 222. The cries of the soldier were heard by the subaltern officer.
1811. Regul. & Orders Army, 248. The Subaltern Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men, are to be divided into Watches.
1859. W. Collins, Q. of Hearts, iv. Have you any ears left for small items of private intelligence from insignificant subaltern officers?
4. Of a vassal: Holding of one who is himself a vassal. Hence of a feu or right.
1681. Stair, Inst. Law Scot., I. xiii. 252. The Vassals of the King, who only might grant subaltern Infeftments of their Ward Lands. Ibid., xxi. 420. If the major part be not alienate, Subaltern Infeudations … infer not recognition, when these rights are disjunctim of parts of the Fee. Ibid., 424. Seing all other Rights fall in consequentiam, as was found in Subaltern-rights, in the said case. Ibid., 429. Omitted not only by the immediat Vassal, but by all subaltern Vassals.
1723. Bibl. Literaria, No. vi. 17. Reliefs, Fines, Duties upon the several subaltern Manors.
1765–8. Erskine, Inst. Law Scot., II. vii. § 8. Subaltern infeftments soon recovered force after the statute of Robert which abolished them.
1838. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 88. Suppose A to hold of the Crown blench, and that he subfeus his lands to B, to be held in feu…. A’s right is termed a public one; B’s a base or subaltern right.
5. Logic. Of a proposition: Particular, in relation to a universal of the same quality.
Subaltern opposition: opposition between a universal and a particular of the same quality. (Cf. SUBALTERNANT, SUBALTERNATE.)
1656. trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos., I. iii. 30. Subaltern, are Universal and Particular Propositions of the same Quality; as, Every Man is a Living Creature, Some Man is a Living Creature.
1725. Watts, Logic, II. ii. § 3. Both particular and universal Propositions which agree in Quality but not in Quantity are call’d Subaltern.
1860. Abp. Thomson, Laws Th., § 84. 151. Subaltern opposition is between any pair of affirmative or negative judgments, when the one has fewer terms distributed, that is, taken entire, than the other.
1864. Bowen, Logic, vi. 162. I can immediately infer the truth of its Subaltern Opposite.
B. sb.
1. A person († or thing) of inferior rank or status; a subordinate; occas. † a subaltern genus; † a subordinate character in a book.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1623), 4. When all Christianity in the Counsell of Constance was diuided into Nations, Anglicana Natio was one of the principall and no subalterne.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., II. iii. § 3 (1622), 219. The subalternes, are both, in their diuers relations; Genera, to their inferiors; and Species, to their superiors.
a. 1628. F. Grevil, Life of Sidney (1652), 14. They … both encourage, and shaddow the conspiracies of ambitious subalternes to their false endes.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Subalternis, inferiour Judges, or Officers.
1765. H. Walpole, Otranto (1886), 10. The art of the author is very observable in the conduct of the subalterns.
1787. Charlotte Smith, Rom. Real Life, II. 133. If the subalterns of the law once seize on the property.
1816. ‘Quiz,’ Grand Master, I. 3. Passive obedience under wrongs, ’Tis thought, to subalterns belongs.
1860. Emerson, Cond. Life, Power, Wks. (Bohn), II. 332. The geologist reports the surveys of his subalterns.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, v. The chef de la sûreté and his subaltern.
2. A subaltern officer in the army.
1690. Lond. Gaz., No. 2616/3. The Marquis de St. George,… with his Lieutenant-Colonel, Major, 10 Captains, and 25 Subalternes are arrived here.
1760. Caut. & Adv. Off. Army, 77. A Subaltern will find it extremely difficult to live upon his Pay, and support the Appearance of a Gentleman.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 431. The respective companies choose their captain, and subalterns.
1811. Gen. Regul. Army, 37. No Officer shall be promoted to the Rank of Captain, until he has been Three Years a Subaltern.
1846. Browning, Luria, III. 4. How could subalterns like myself expect Leisure or leave to occupy the field?
attrib. 1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, x. Major White had, in his subaltern days, been despatched from Gibraltar on a business quest into the interior of Spain.
b. subaltern’s butter, the fruit of Persea gratissima = AVOCADO, called also midshipman’s butter; subaltern’s luncheon (see quot. 1904).
1829. Marryat, F. Mildmay, xviii. Abbogada pears (better known by the name of subaltern’s butter).
1904. A. Griffiths, 50 Yrs. Public Service, 50. The traditional ‘subaltern’s luncheon’—‘a glass of water and a pull at the waistbelt.’
3. Logic. A subaltern proposition.
1826. Whately, Logic, II. ii. § 3. 1st. the two universals (A and E) are called contraries to each other; ad. the two particular, (I and O) subcontraries: 3d. A and I, or E and O, subalterns; 4th. A and O, or E and I, contradictories. Ibid. Subalterns differ in quantity alone; Contraries, and also Subcontraries, in quality alone.
1870. Jevons, Elem. Logic, ix. 78. Of subalterns, the particular is true if the universal be true.
Hence Subalternhood, -ship, the status or period of service of a subaltern.
1857. Fraser’s Mag., LVI. 172. The Indian officer has to serve a long subalternhood.
1861. Cornh. Mag., Jan., 74. James Outram soon obtained the grand reward of efficiency in regimental subalternship, the adjutancy of a corps.
