second language — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A language that is spoken by someone but is not their mother tongue.

   Related words

   first languageforeign language

   Examples

   My second languages are Italian and German.

   Vocabulary is a vital component of educational success in both first and second language contexts.

   More examples (1)

   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.

Noun

1. a language that a person has acquired in adolescence or later

   Synonyms

   L2

   Broader terms

   languagelinguistic communication