Under
|un-der|
🇺🇸
/ˈʌn.dɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˈʌn.də/
(under)
below or beneath
Etymology
'under' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'under', from Proto-Germanic '*underaz', ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root '*n̥dʰer' meaning 'below' or 'under'.
'under' remained relatively unchanged from Old English 'under' through Middle English into modern English; it has cognates in other Germanic languages (e.g. Old High German 'untar').
Initially, it meant 'below' or 'beneath' in a strictly spatial sense; over time its use broadened to include figurative senses such as 'subject to', 'less than', and the prefix sense meaning 'insufficiently' or 'below'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
into or to a position below or beneath (used without an object).
She crawled under.
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Preposition 1
below or beneath (in a lower position or covered by).
The book is under the table.
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Preposition 2
less than (a number, age, amount, or level).
Children under 16 travel free.
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Preposition 3
subject to, governed by, or in the scope of (rules, authority, or conditions).
People are equal under the law.
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Particle 1
as a combining form (under-), meaning 'insufficiently', 'below', or 'lower in rank/degree' (forms words like 'underdone', 'underpaid').
Many small firms were undercapitalized in the crisis.
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Last updated: 2025/11/15 02:47