Navigation
Home
Resources
Irregular verbs quizzes English conjugator English-French dictionary French dictionary English dictionary Monolingual dictionaries Scores by institution Free sample tests FAQ Pricing Tourism training Blog Videos
Login Sign up
Blog
Videos
Pricing
FR EN

underwater

adj, adv, noun and 1 more — 9 senses

underwater

adj

UK /ʌndə(ɹ)ˈwɔːtə/ · US /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/

Etymology From under (preposition) + water.

1

Beneath the surface of the water; of or pertaining to the region beneath the water surface.

  • Watch out for underwater obstacles.
  • He was a pioneer in underwater exploration.
1 more example
  • The Chungsha group, also known as Macclesfield Bank, just southeast of the Sisha, consists merely of a group of underwater reefs and sandbanks.1956, Theodore Shabad, “The Kwangtung-Kwangsi Hills”, in China's Changing Map: A Political and Economic Geography of the Chinese People's Republic, New York: Frederick A. Praeger, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 169:
2

Nautical, Transport Beneath the water line of a vessel.

  • When the ship was brought into dry dock, it was found that she had underwater damage.
3

Figuratively In difficulty, especially financially.

4

Business, Finance Having negative equity; owing more on an asset than its market value.

  • We've been underwater on our mortgage ever since the housing crash.
  • You're underwater. The best thing you can do is just walk away. Let the bank take it back.2013 May 13, Underwater (Bates Motel), episode 9 (Television), spoken by Matt Bronstein (Matthew MacCaull), via A&E:
5

Business, Finance Of an option, having a strike price higher (call options) or lower (put options) than the current market price of the underlying asset or financial product; for example, an option to buy shares at $20 when the current market price is $15.

Synonyms
subaqueous, subaquatic, submarine, upside down
Antonyms
above water, above-water
Derived terms
nonunderwater, underwater basket weaving, underwater hockey, underwaterish, underwater lake, underwater rugby
Related terms
keep one's head above water, underground, underseas

underwater

adv

Etymology From under (preposition) + water.

1

So as to go beneath the surface of the water.

  • Can you swim underwater?

underwater

noun

Etymology From under (preposition) + water.

1

Underlying water or body of water, for example in an aquifer or the deep ocean.

2

Fishing, Hobbies, Lifestyle A type of lure which lies beneath the water surface.

  • Practically all wobbling underwaters will take fish aplenty in the hands of a man who really knows how to put them through their stints.1923, Sheridan R. Jones, Bait Casting: The Short Rod and How to Use It, page 57:

underwater

verb

Etymology From under- + water.

1

Agriculture, Business, Horticulture, Lifestyle To water or irrigate insufficiently.

  • Care must be taken not to underwater houseplants in the summer.
  • If your plant is wilting, this could be another sign of overwatering or underwatering.2021 July 22, “Is Your Plant Overwatered or Underwatered?”, in Sustained Kitchen:
Antonyms
overwater
Related terms
unwatered

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.