under- meaning: definition, etymology

under-

prefix

Etymology From Middle English under-, from Old English under-, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under, from Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér (“below”) and *h₁n̥tér (“inside”). For more, see under.

Morpheme Beneath, under

e.g. underground, underneath, underpass

Figuratively, Morpheme To go from one side to the other; to progress along a path

e.g. understand, undergo, underbear, undertake

Morpheme Less than, beneath in quantity

e.g. underadditive, underage, underbound

Morpheme Deficient, below what is correct, insufficient

e.g. underapply, underbill, underawe

Morpheme Subordinate to

e.g. undersecretary, underling, underclass

Synonyms: hypo-, sub-, infra-, en-, olig-, meio-, dys-, mal-, vice-
Antonyms: over-, epi-, sur-, hyper-, supra-, pleo-, telo-, per-, pur-, arch-