understory

[ uhn-der-stawr-ee, -stohr-ee ]

noun

1. the shrubs and plants growing beneath the main canopy of a forest.

Word History and Origins

Origin of understory¹

First recorded in 1900–05; under- + story ²

Example Sentences

Like much of the American West, Yosemite’s forests evolved to endure periodic blazes, which cleared clutter from the understory and opened up space for new trees to grow.

From Washington Post

They decided to excavate the understory of the conflict—to figure out what it was really about–which required asking different questions and truly listening.

From Time

“There’s no understory vegetation left, let alone any leaf litter suspended in it, so that species is really hanging in the balance,” says Marsh.

From Science News

Trees were small in this part of the woods, with a well developed understory thicket of coralberry and sumac.

From Project Gutenberg

An almost continuous canopy of foliage has developed, shading the understory and thinning it by killing shrubs and saplings.

From Project Gutenberg

Purshia tridentata (bitterbrush) is the understory codominant.

From Project Gutenberg

Vegetation was pinyon-juniper woodland with an understory of mixed shrubs.

From Project Gutenberg

A relatively pure understory of Poa fendleriana (muttongrass), is typical of such woodland on the middle parts of the mesas.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• thicket