second language
nounUK /ˌsekənd ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
US /ˌsekənd ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
A second language is a language you learn after your first one.
She speaks Spanish at home and English as a second language at school.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A language that is widely used in a country for official or public purposes, even if it is not the first language of most people.
English is a second language in many countries.
3. A language a person uses regularly in daily life but did not learn as a baby.
For many immigrants, the local language becomes their second language.
4. In education, a language taught to students who already speak another language at home.
The school offers English as a second language classes.