Idioms about under
Origin of under
synonym study for under
Other definitions for under (2 of 2)
Origin of under-
WORDS THAT USE UNDER-
What does under- mean?
Under- is a prefix meaning “under” and is used in a variety of senses, including “below or beneath,” “inferior,” or “lesser.” It is often used in a variety of everyday terms.
Under- ultimately comes from Old English under, of the same meaning. The Greek translation of under is hypó, the source of the prefix hypo–, and the Latin translation is sub, the source of the prefix sub–. These prefixes can be found in hypoallergenic, hypothermia, subterranean, and subway. To learn more, check out our entries for all four words.
Examples of under-
An example of a word you may have encountered that features under– is
underdog, “a person who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict.”
We know under– means “under,” and the –dog portion of the word clearly means “dog.” The term comes from dogfighting and refers to a dog who lost a fight. The term came to be used figuratively to refer to anyone in a competition. Underdog literally means “lesser dog.”
What are some words that use the combining form under-?
- underact
- underage
- underbelly
- underbid
- undercut (using the equivalent form of under– in Middle English)
- underfoot (using the equivalent form of under– in Middle English)
- undergo (using the equivalent form of under– in Old English)
- undergrowth
What are some other forms that under– may be commonly confused with?
Break it down!
Given the meaning of under-, what does undercut literally mean?