undershot

American

[uhn-der-shot, uhn-der-shot] / ˈʌn dərˌʃɒt, ˌʌn dərˈʃɒt /

adjective

having the front teeth of the lower jaw projecting in front of the upper teeth, as a bulldog.
driven by water passing beneath.

an undershot vertical water wheel.

verb

simple past tense and past participle of undershoot.

undershot British

/ ˈʌndəˌʃɒt /

adjective

(of the lower jaw) projecting beyond the upper jaw; underhung
(of a water wheel) driven by a flow of water that passes under the wheel rather than over it See overshot

"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 undershot

First recorded in 1600–10; under- + shot ²

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.

Growth in nonfarm payrolls has undershot its longer-run average for two years.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The history of the building also captivated Brendan - it is an undershot watermill, which means water flows underneath the waterwheel, striking the paddles at the bottom.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026

Global silver supplies undershot demand for a fifth year in a row in 2025, according to the Silver Institute.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 10, 2025

The result undershot the forecast of 49.3 made by economists in a Wall Street Journal survey.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

How deep into the water should the paddles of an undershot wheel go?

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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