underbody

American

[uhn-der-bod-ee] / ˈʌn dərˌbɒd i /

noun

plural

underbodies

the bottom or underneath part, as of a mechanism or animal.

the underbody of a tank.
Nautical. the portion of a hull that is normally underwater.

underbody British

/ ˈʌndəˌbɒdɪ /

noun

the underpart of a body, as of an animal or motor vehicle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of underbody

First recorded in 1615–25; under- + body

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He had to pull the 100-pound transfer case out of the truck’s underbody.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026

If the underbody airflow is disrupted, it stops working as effectively - or 'stalls' - leading to the car jumping up.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

Cars from northern states might look great in superficial photos, but even a few years on icy roads treated with salt will cause surface corrosion on suspension and underbody components.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2024

This features heavily undercut sidepods and a surface 'ramp' sloping the bodywork downwards towards the rear, all aimed at best manipulating airflow around the car and maximising the downforce created by the underbody 'venturi' tunnels.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2024

The current caught the long underbody of the boat as she swung.

From The Way of a Man by Hough, Emerson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023