beneath

[ bih-neeth, -neeth ]

adverb

1. below; in or to a lower place, position, state, or the like.

   Antonyms: above

2. underneath:

   heaven above and the earth beneath.

preposition

1. below; under:

   beneath the same roof.

2. farther down than; underneath; lower in place than:

   The first drawer beneath the top one.

3. lower down on a slope than:

   beneath the crest of a hill.

4. inferior or less important, as in position, rank, or power:

   A captain is beneath a major.

5. unworthy of; below the level or dignity of:

   to regard others as beneath one; behavior that was beneath contempt.

beneath

/ bɪˈniːθ /

preposition

1. below, esp if covered, protected, or obscured by
2. not as great or good as would be demanded by

   beneath his dignity

adverb

1. below; underneath

Word History and Origins

Origin of beneath¹

before 900; Middle English benethe, Old English beneothan, equivalent to be- be- + neothan below, akin to Old High German nidana. See nether

Word History and Origins

Origin of beneath¹

Old English beneothan , from be- + neothan low; see nether

Synonym Study

See below.

Example Sentences

Enceladus is an extraordinary little world, harboring a deep, warm ocean beneath its ice.

From Nautilus

So Richard Johnston, an engineer at Swansea University in Wales, and his colleagues used a microCT scanner to see what lies beneath the wraps of animal mummies at the university’s Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.

From Science News

Last week in Science Advances, researchers presented the most complete picture to date of the strange, hidden biosphere beneath the seafloor.

From Quanta Magazine

The rover will probe the ground beneath its wheels, fly a helicopter, track the weather and test tech for turning Martian air into rocket fuel.

From Science News

There was also a danger of a possible explosion or “blowout” from pressurized gas that had accumulated in the lake during the 15 million years it’s been beneath the ice.

From Quanta Magazine

McCauley may have married beneath her station, but Gordon-Levitt has obsessive fans.

From The Daily Beast

So for the 12 years he spent at Aldgate, Chaucer was mostly alone, with a teeming urban scene literally beneath his feet.

From The Daily Beast

The train was already in motion as she tried to step inside, and her body was crushed beneath it.

From The Daily Beast

And there are a few nice things buried beneath the rubble that I could use in my apartment.

From The Daily Beast

But beneath all the shiny esteem, the 25-year-old Wright led a seedy double life.

From The Daily Beast

Two young lovers were exchanging their hearts' yearnings beneath the children's tent, which they had found unoccupied.

From Project Gutenberg

She looked up in his face, leaning on his arm beneath the encircling shadow of the umbrella which he had lifted.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, the whole Northwest groaned beneath a cast-iron prohibition law at that time, and for some years thereafter.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of those halls that Mr. Meadow Mouse mentioned ran right out beneath the surface of the garden.

From Project Gutenberg

During this conversation Harry's right hand was resting beneath his jacket, grasping the butt of his revolver.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Beneath

What is a basic definition of beneath?

Beneath is a preposition that means below or under. Beneath can also describe something that is unworthy of someone. Less commonly, beneath is used as an adverb to mean below or underneath.

If something is positioned beneath something else, it is under or below it. Beneath is not used as often as words such as below or under. Beneath is most often used when describing a location underground or underneath a surface. In a similar sense, beneath can mean something is lower or farther down than something else.

• Real-life examples: You can stand beneath an umbrella to keep the rain off you. The G key is beneath the T key on a typical QWERTY keyboard.
• Used in a sentence: The pirate treasure was buried in the sand beneath two palm trees.

Beneath can also describe something that is considered unworthy of someone or their dignity.

• Used in a sentence: My rich aunt thinks that shopping at a grocery store is beneath her.

Beneath can also be used as an adverb to describe something as happening below or underneath something.

• Used in a sentence: The dojo master sat on the upper balcony and watched his students training beneath. 

Where does beneath come from?

The first records of beneath come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English beneothan.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for beneath?

• below
• under
• underneath
• lesser
• unworthy of

What are some words that often get used in discussing beneath?

• low
• ground
• feet
• inferior

How is beneath used in real life?

Beneath is not used as often as other prepositions. It is used to mean “below” or “under.”

I've discovered that beneath my house there's seams of precious metals. I'm making plans to exploit them industrially for huge profits. It's a potential gold mine.

— Kieron Gillen (@kierongillen) June 26, 2018

Hidden beneath the escalating crisis of opioid-overdose deaths in the U.S. lies another danger: the increasing spread of hepatitis C virus associated with injection-opioid use.

— NEJM (@NEJM) March 29, 2018

I lost my dear mother Ada Sharpton, 5 years ago today. She was and is the wind beneath my wings. If your mother is alive, show her love.

— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) March 22, 2017

Try using beneath!

Is beneath used correctly in the following sentence?

I bent down to see if I left my suitcase beneath the table.