noun
secondary retainer
Historical term from the Edo period: a retainer who served a direct retainer (家来) of a feudal lord, rather than serving the lord directly. Rare in modern usage outside historical contexts.
又家来は、大名の家来に仕える下級武士だった。
A secondary retainer was a lower-ranking samurai who served a direct retainer of a feudal lord.
家来 is a direct retainer of a lord, while 又家来 is a retainer of a 家来, one step further removed from the lord.
Compound of 又 (mata, 'again; secondary') and 家来 (kerai, 'retainer'), literally 'secondary retainer'.