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

Sher illuminated the scene by hiding a digital projector underneath a working prop 16mm projector.

From Los Angeles Times

Great white sharks are the species responsible for most human shark-bite fatalities, and often attack their prey from underneath, lead researcher Laura Ryan said.

From BBC

On the outside she’s all bureaucracy, but there’s a lot going on underneath.

From Los Angeles Times

The noises were no stray opossum or raccoon but a man — reportedly naked and, authorities said, living in the crawl space underneath the woman’s home.

From Los Angeles Times

Before Al-Shifa Hospital was besieged and attacked, for example, “the IDF produced this very flamboyant imagery of the command and control center underneath the hospital,” Sidoti said, “which they alleged form the basis of the justification of the attack. Yet none of the footage produced after the event indicated anything like that kind of command and control center underneath the hospital.”

From Salon