Showing results for "underpinning"

• present participle of underpin.

underpinning

American  

[uhn-der-pin-ing] / ˈʌn dərˌpɪn ɪŋ /

noun

underpinnings plural

1. a system of supports beneath a wall or the like.

2. Often underpinnings. a foundation or basis.

   to uncover the emotional underpinnings of an illness.

3. Informal. underpinnings,

   1. underwear, especially women's underwear.

   2. the legs.

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underpinning British  

/ ˈʌndəˌpɪnɪŋ /

noun

1. a structure of masonry, concrete, etc, placed beneath a wall to provide support

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• underpinnings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of underpinning

First recorded in 1480–90; under + pin + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Underpinning the sharp upward revisions is continued underestimation of how long this spending cycle will last and how long Korean memory stocks can maintain such high levels of profitability.

From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026

Underpinning the surge in retail prices is a historical move seen in futures for cocoa, the underlying ingredient for chocolate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Underpinning the deal was the plan to begin a long-term collaboration: The L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Underpinning the super accounts is a government pension that goes to retirees who meet certain income and asset criteria.

From Barron's • Dec. 4, 2025

Underpinning walls: To underpin the walls as specified, requiring 750 cubic feet of brick masonry, or less, amount of masonry not to exceed 750 cubic feet.

From The Repair Of Casa Grande Ruin, Arizona, in 1891 Fifteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1893-94, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1897, pages 315-348 by Mindeleff, Cosmos