underneath

[ uhn-der-neeth, -neeth ]

preposition

1. below the surface or level of; directly or vertically beneath; at or on the bottom of.
2. under the control of; in a lower position in a hierarchy of authority:

   Underneath the department heads are the junior executives.

3. hidden, disguised, or misrepresented, as by a false appearance or pretense:

   Underneath his bluster is a timid nature.

adverb

1. below; at a lower level or position; on the underside.

adjective

1. lower; situated below or under.

noun

1. the bottom; underside; lowest part.

underneath

/ ˌʌndəˈniːθ /

preposition

1. under; beneath

adjective

1. lower

noun

1. a lower part, surface, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of underneath¹

before 900; Middle English undernethe, Old English underneothan. See under, beneath

Word History and Origins

Origin of underneath¹

Old English underneothan, from under + neothan below; related to Old Danish underneden; see beneath

Example Sentences

This warning system will also need to communicate hurricanes' increasing intensity, related to the temperature underneath the storm.

From Popular-Science

Physicist Emmanuel Fort and colleagues observed this effect by injecting a layer of gas underneath either silicone oil or glycerol and shaking the container.

From Science News

It would tunnel underneath the Volcan Mountains, Mesa Grande Reservation and Cleveland National Forest, along the northern border of San Pasqual Reservation, eventually terminating at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant.

From Voice of San Diego

He studies how areas with permafrost underneath them have been changing.

From Science News For Students

“If you clear out a whole bunch of space around the lines, grasses and non-native species that are much more fire-prone can grow underneath, which increases your fire risk,” Skinner said.

From Voice of San Diego

None of us were interested in making a film about a speech, a statue, or all that good stuff; it was about getting underneath it.

From The Daily Beast

Red letters scrawled underneath seem to be Ramone thinking aloud: “I wonder but I think so.”

From The Daily Beast

He took his hand off the car and put it back underneath his shirt.

From The Daily Beast

Underneath my chronic prickliness and assholishness I am always, always thankful.

From The Daily Beast

And underneath my chronic prickliness and assholishness I am always, always thankful.

From The Daily Beast

Of late, however, it has acquired a far greater interest through the discovery of coal underneath its surface.

From Project Gutenberg

Bedded in the soft earth underneath lay the slim buckskin sacks.

From Project Gutenberg

Underneath these were affectionate hearts quaking with fear lest the home-coming be but a sad one after all.

From Project Gutenberg

The only difference was that it rested on a framework attached to a single wheel directly underneath.

From Project Gutenberg

Let dry, apply a cover-glass, and run glacial acetic acid underneath it.

From Project Gutenberg