rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryunderneathLower or covered position
preposition / adverb / noun

underneath

uhn-der-NEETH/ˌʌndərˈniːθ/

Below something or beneath its surface.

The red ball rests underneath the chair between its legs.

A red ball sits directly underneath a simple wooden chair, clearly within the footprint of its seat and between its legs.
Etymology
underOld Englishbeneath
+neathOld Englishbelow

Under and neoðan both express a lower position. Together they locate something in the space directly below another thing, preserving the spatial meaning of the Old English compound.

In context

DIYTyler1:25
put underlayment underneath the tile
Tile Floor 101 | Step by Step How to Install Tile for the First Time

More examples

  • He wears a warm sweater underneath his jacket.
  • She seems calm, but underneath she is worried.
  • The underneath of the shelf is rough and unfinished.

Forms

underneath

Similar words

under
More common for direct covering or a position below.
beneath
Often more formal, with the same lower-position meaning.
below
Marks a lower level without necessarily suggesting a covering.