undergrowth

American  

[uhn-der-grohth] / ˈʌn dərˌgroʊθ /

noun

1. low-lying vegetation or small trees growing beneath larger trees; underbrush.

2. the condition of being undergrown or undersized.

3. short, fine hair underlying longer, outer wool or fur.

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undergrowth British  

/ ˈʌndəˌɡrəʊθ /

noun

1. small trees, bushes, ferns, etc, growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest

2. the condition of being undergrown

3. a growth of short fine hairs beneath longer ones; underfur

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Etymology

Origin of undergrowth

First recorded in 1590–1600; under- + growth

Example Sentences

I popped my head up from the leafy green undergrowth and looked toward the buggy.

From Literature

This ability allows Balanophora to spread quickly into the narrow ecological niche it prefers: dark, moist forest undergrowth where few other plants can survive.

From Science Daily

Armed police arrived after 40 minutes and a helicopter found Berry and Thomas hiding in undergrowth in a nearby quarry.

From BBC

Early forms likely slipped through the undergrowth beneath the feet of dinosaurs and succeeded by evolving a variety of strategies for capturing prey.

From Science Daily

In the foreground: the dense, ferny undergrowth of a forest, bordered by a few gnarled tree trunks rising upward.

From Literature

Related Words

• thicket