undercut
|un-der-cut|
🇺🇸
/ˈʌndərkʌt/
🇬🇧
/ˈʌndəkʌt/
lower price
Etymology
'undercut' originates from Old English elements 'under' and 'cut', where 'under' meant 'below' and 'cut' meant 'to cut or strike.',
'undercut' changed from Middle English forms such as 'undercut(t)en' and eventually became the modern English word 'undercut'.
Initially it meant 'to cut from below' (a literal sense), but over time it evolved to include 'to sell at a lower price' and 'to weaken or undermine' in figurative senses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a reduction in price offered to compete with others; a lower price than a competitor's.
The store's undercut attracted many bargain hunters.
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Noun 2
a hairstyle in which the hair on the sides or back is cut very short while the hair on top is left longer.
He got an undercut before the summer festival.
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Noun 3
a recessed area or groove produced by cutting away material from under an edge or surface (in machining, construction, or geology).
The beam failed because an undercut at its base reduced its load-bearing capacity.
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Verb 1
to cut away material from beneath something, causing it to be unsupported or weakened.
The rushing water undercut the riverbank and caused the path to collapse.
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Verb 2
to weaken or diminish someone's position, authority, or efforts, often by indirect or unfair means.
Her constant criticism undermined and undercut the manager's authority.
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Verb 3
to sell goods or services at a lower price than a competitor in order to gain business.
The new chain undercut local shops on many everyday items.
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Last updated: 2026/01/19 23:57