underneath

un·der·neath

U u

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [uhn-der-neeth, -neeth ]
- /ˌʌn dərˈniθ, -ˈnið/
- /ˌʌndəˈniːθ/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [uhn-der-neeth, -neeth ]
- /ˌʌn dərˈniθ, -ˈnið/

Definitions of underneath word

preposition underneath below the surface or level of; directly or vertically beneath; at or on the bottom of. 1
preposition underneath under the control of; in a lower position in a hierarchy of authority: Underneath the department heads are the junior executives. 1
preposition underneath hidden, disguised, or misrepresented, as by a false appearance or pretense: Underneath his bluster is a timid nature. 1
adverb underneath below; at a lower level or position; on the underside. 1
adjective underneath lower; situated below or under. 1
noun underneath the bottom; underside; lowest part. 1

See all 29 definitions of underneath

Information block about the term

Origin of underneath

First appearance:

before 900

One of the 4% oldest English words

before 900; Middle English undernethe, Old English underneothan. See under, beneath

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Underneath

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Underneath

underneath popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 88% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

underneath usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for underneath

adj underneath

back seat — a seat at the back, esp of a vehicle
down — from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position: to come down the ladder.
earthward — Also, earthwards. toward the earth.
hole-and-corner — secretive; clandestine; furtive: The political situation was full of hole-and-corner intrigue.
inferior — lower in station, rank, degree, or grade (often followed by to): a rank inferior to colonel.

prep underneath

below — If something is below something else, it is in a lower position.
less than — to a smaller extent, amount, or degree: less exact.

adv underneath

beneath — Something that is beneath another thing is under the other thing.

noun underneath

bottom — The bottom of something is the lowest or deepest part of it.

preposition underneath

covered — A covered area is an area that has a roof.
nether — lying or believed to lie beneath the earth's surface; infernal: the nether regions.

adjective underneath

groundward — Towards the ground.

adverb underneath

lower — to cause to descend; let or put down: to lower a flag.

All 13 Synonyms of underneath