underneath

B1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/ UK /ˌʌndəˈniːθ/ See IPA manual

Freq #3163

Meanings

1

prep
Directly below or under something.

The cat was hiding underneath the table.
2

adv
In or to a position below; on the lower side.

She wore a thin shirt with nothing underneath.
3

noun
The bottom or lower surface of something.

The underneath of the aircraft was painted blue.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 prep · directly below or under... under below beneath

Etymology

From Middle English undernethe, undernethen, from Old English underneoþan (“underneath”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *underniþer. Equivalent to under- + neath.

undernethe Middle English underneoþan Old English *underniþer Proto-Germanic

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Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# underneath

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** prep, adv, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌʌndəˈniːθ/
**Frequency rank:** 3163

## Meanings
1. Directly below or under something.
2. In or to a position below; on the lower side.
3. The bottom or lower surface of something.

## Examples
- The cat was hiding underneath the table.
- She wore a thin shirt with nothing underneath.
- The underneath of the aircraft was painted blue.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: undernethe
- Root: underneoþan
- Root: *underniþer

## Etymology
From Middle English undernethe, undernethen, from Old English underneoþan (“underneath”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *underniþer. Equivalent to under- + neath.

## AI Etymology
Underneath is from Middle English undernethe, undernethen, from Old English underneoþan (“underneath”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *underniþer. Equivalent to under- + neath. The historical line also includes Middle English undernethe, Old English underneoþan, Proto-Germanic *underniþer. In present-day use, it can mean directly below or under something, or in or to a position below; on the lower side.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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