understorey

British

/ ˈʌndəˌstɔːrɪ /

noun

a lower tier of shrubs and small trees under the main canopy of forest trees

"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

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.

The special habitat's twisted branches, dappled light and moss-covered understorey once covered much of the country, but is now only found in isolated areas including the Woodland Trust's Coed Felenrhyd near Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd.

From BBC • May 18, 2025

The hidden network allows for the nurturing of small trees in the understorey, where too little light penetrates for effective photosynthesis.

From Nature • Sep. 13, 2016

The 'children' of a 'parent' tree bide their time until the oldster topples and the understorey underdogs at last get the chance to reach for the skies.

From Nature • Sep. 13, 2016

That thins the forest understorey and increases visibility which, Dr Magle reckons, helps predators spot nests that denser vegetation would hide.

From Economist • May 23, 2013

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