Etymology dictionary

underage (adj.) — undisguised (adj.)

underage (adj.)

also under-age, 1590s, from under + age (n.).

1816, "underhand" (in reference to a style of throwing), from under + arm (n.1). First attested 1908 in dressmaking sense of "seams on the lower half of the arm-hole;" as a euphemism for armpit, it is attested from 1930s, popularized by advertisers.

underbelly (n.)

c. 1600, from under + belly (n.). In figurative sense of "most vulnerable part" it is recorded from Churchill's 1942 speech. Sometimes used erroneously or euphemistically in sense of "seamy or sordid part" of anything.

underbid (v.)

1610s, from under + bid (v.). Related: Underbidding.

underbred (adj.)

"of inferior breeding, vulgar," 1640s, from under + past participle of breed (v.). Of animals, "not pure bred," attested from 1890.

underbrush (n.)

"shrub and small trees in a forest," 1775, from under + brush (n.2). Originally American English; compare undergrowth, attested in the same sense from 1600.

undercarriage (n.)

1794, from under + carriage (n.). Meaning "landing gear of an aircraft" is recorded from 1911.

undercharge (v.)

1630s, from under + charge (v.).

underclass (n.)

"subordinate social class," 1894, from under (adj.) + class (n.). A loan-translation of Swedish underklass.

underclassman (n.)

"sophomore or freshman," 1869, American English, from under (adj.) + class (n.) in the school form sense + man (n.).

undercover (adj.)

1854, "sheltered," from under + cover (n.). Sense of "operating secretly" attested from 1920.

undercroft (n.)

"crypt of a church; underground vault," late 14c., from under + croft.

undercurrent (n.)

1660s, "stream of water or air flowing beneath the surface or beneath another current," a hybrid formed from under + current (n.). The figurative sense of "suppressed or underlying character" is attested from 1817.

undercut (v.)

late 14c., "to cut down or off," from under + cut (v.). In the commercial sense of "sell at lower prices" (or work at lower wages) it is first attested 1884. Figurative sense of "render unstable, undermine" is recorded from 1955, from earlier literal meaning "cut so as to leave the upper portion larger than the lower" (1874).

underdeveloped (adj.)

1892, in photography, from under + past participle of develop (v.). In reference to countries or regions, recorded from 1949.

underdog (n.)

"the beaten dog in a fight," 1887, from under + dog (n.). Compare top dog "dominant person in a situation or hierarchy" (see top (adj.)). Its opposite, overdog, is attested by 1908.

underdone (adj.)

1680s, in reference to cooked meat, from under + done. Old English underdon (v.), Middle English underdo meant "to put under, to subject, subjugate."

underdressed (adj.)

also under-dressed, "too plainly dressed," 1759, from under (adv.) + past participle of dress (v.).

under-employed (adj.)

1908, "not used to optimum capacity," originally in reference to working persons, from under + past participle of employ (v.).

under-employment (n.)

also underemployment, 1909, from under + employment.

underestimate (v.)

1812, "to estimate at too low an amount," from under + estimate (v.). Meaning "to rank too low, undervalue" is recorded from 1850. Related: Underestimated; underestimating.

underexposed (adj.)

1861, in photography, from under + past participle of expose (v.).

underfeed (v.)

1650s, from under + feed (v.). Related: Underfed; underfeeding.

underfoot (adv.)

c. 1200, underfot "under the feet," from under + foot (n.). Compare similarly formed Middle Dutch ondervoete. As an adjective, attested from 1590s; in reference to persons, "continually in the way," it is recorded from 1891. Middle English under fot meant "vanquished, overcome."

undergarment (n.)

1520s, from under + garment (n.).

undergird (v.)

1520s, from under + gird (v.). Related: Undergirded; undergirding.

undergo (v.)

Old English undergan "obtain, get; undertake," from under + gan (see go (v.)). Compare similarly formed Middle Dutch ondergaen, Old High German untarkun, German untergehen, Danish undergaa. Sense of "submit to, endure" is attested from c. 1300. Meaning "to pass through" (an alteration, etc.) is attested from 1630s. Related: Undergone; underwent.

undergrad (n.)

short for undergraduate, 1827.

undergraduate (n.)

1620s, a hybrid formed from under + graduate (n.). British used fem. form undergraduette in 1920s-30s. As an adjective, in the school sense, from 1680s.

underground (adv.)

1570s, "below the surface," from under + ground (n.). As an adjective, attested from c. 1600; figurative sense of "hidden, secret" is attested from 1630s; adjectival meaning "subculture" is from 1953, from adjectival use in reference to World War II resistance movements against German occupation, on analogy of the dominant culture and the Nazis. Noun sense of "underground railway" is from 1887 (shortened from phrase underground railway, itself attested from 1834).

Underground Railroad (n.)

"network of U.S. anti-slavery activists helping runaways elude capture," attested from 1847, but said to date from 1831 and to have been coined in jest by bewildered trackers after their slaves vanished without a trace. Originally mostly the term for escape networks in the (then) western states of the U.S.

undergrowth (n.)

"shrubs or small trees growing amid larger ones," c. 1600, from under + growth.

underhanded (adj.)

in reference to a throw, etc., "performed or done with the knuckles turned under," 1807, from under + hand (n.). Compare underhand. As "in secret," from 1825; as "with too few people," from 1834. Related: Underhandedly; underhandedness.

underhand (adv.)

mid-14c., "by secret means, stealthily, in a surreptitious manner," from under + hand (n.). Perhaps the notion is of the hand turned over (thus concealing what it holds). Compare Middle Dutch onderhanden "by degrees, slowly," Dutch onderhandsch "secret, private." The adjective is attested from 1540s. Old English under hand meant "in subjection, in (one's) control or power."

underling (n.)

late Old English, "one who owes allegiance to a sovereign or ruler," from under + diminutive suffix -ling. Middle English had also overling "a superior, one who is superior in a hierarchy" (mid-14c.).

underlay (v.)

Old English under lecgan "to support by placing something beneath;" see under + lay (v.). Related: Underlaid; underlaying. Compare similarly formed Old High German Related: untarleccan, German unterlegen.

underlie (v.)

Old English under licgan "to be subordinate to, to submit to;" see under + lie (v.2). Meaning "to lie under or beneath" is attested from c. 1600; figurative sense of "to be the basis of" is attested from 1852 (implied in underlying). Similar formation in Old High German untarliggan; German unterliegen.

underlying (adj.)

1610s, present-participle adjective from underlie.

underline (v.)

1721, "to mark underneath or below with a line," from under + line (v.). Similar formation in Dutch onderlijnen. Related: Underlined; underlining. The noun is attested from 1888.

undermine (v.)

c. 1300, undermyne, "render unstable by digging at the foundation," from under + mine (v.1) "dig." The figurative sense "injure by invisible, secret, or dishonorable means" is attested from early 15c. Similar formation in Dutch ondermijnen, Danish underminere, German unterminiren. The Old English verb was underdelfan. Related: Undermined; undermining.

undern (n.)

an obsolete Old English and Middle English word for "morning;" in Old English originally "third hour of the day; 9 a.m." (corresponding to tierce). Hence underngeweorc, undernmete "breakfast." Common Germanic: Old Frisian unden, Old Saxon undorn, Middle Dutch onderen, Old High German untarn, Old Norse undorn; of uncertain origin. By extension, "period from 9 a.m. to noon;" but from 13c. shifting to "midday, noon" (as in undern-mete "lunch," 14c.); and by late 15c. to "late afternoon or early evening."

underneath (adv.)

Old English underneoðan, from under + neoðan "below" (see beneath).

undernourished (adj.)

also under-nourished, 1820, from under + past participle of nourish (v.).

underpants (n.)

1931, from under + pants. Drove out drawers, knickers in this sense in American English.

underpay (v.)

1817, from under + pay (v.). Related: underpaid (1762); underpaying.

underpass (n.)

1904, American English, from under + pass (n.).

underpinning (n.)

late 15c., "action of supporting or strengthening from beneath," from under + present participle of pin (v.). Figurative sense of "prop, support" is recorded from 1580s.

underpin (v.)

"support or prop," 1520s (figurative); 1530s (literal), from under + pin (v.). Related: Underpinned; underpinning.

underprivileged (adj.)

1896, from under + past participle of privilege (v.). Noun use (short for underprivileged persons) is attested from 1935.

underrate (v.)

also under-rate, 1640s, "to esteem at too little worth," from under + rate (v.). Related: Underrated; underrating.

underscore (v.)

1771, "to draw a line under," from under + score (v.). The figurative sense of "to emphasize" is attested from 1891. Noun meaning "a line drawn below (something)" is recorded from 1901.

undersea (adj.)

1610s, from under + sea.

underserve (v.)

"to serve insufficiently," 1710, from under + serve (v.). Related: Underserved; underserving.

undershirt (n.)

1640s, from under (adj.) + shirt (n.). Similar formation in North Frisian onnersjürt, Danish underskjorte. Old English had undersyrc (see sark (n.)).

undershoot (v.)

1660s, "to shoot too low," from under + shoot (v.). In reference to aircraft or pilots, recorded from 1918. Undershot as a type of water wheel is recorded from c. 1600.

underside (n.)

1680s, from under (adj.) + side (n.). Similar formation in Dutch onderzijde, Danish underside, German unterseite.

undersign (v.)

1570s, from under + sign (v.). Related: Undersigned; undersigning.

understated (adj.)

1939, of clothing, fashions, writing, etc., figurative use of the past participle of understate (v.).

understate (v.)

1781, from under + state (v.). Related: Understated; understating.

understandable (adj.)

late 14c., "able to understand;" late 15c., "able to be understood," from understand + -able. Related: Understandably.

understanding (n.)

Old English understanding "comprehension," verbal noun from understand (v.). Meaning "mutual agreement" is attested from 1803.

understand (v.)

Old English understandan "to comprehend, grasp the idea of, receive from a word or words or from a sign the idea it is intended to convey; to view in a certain way," probably literally "stand in the midst of," from under + standan "to stand" (see stand (v.)).

If this is the meaning, the under is not the usual word meaning "beneath," but from Old English under, from PIE *nter- "between, among" (source also of Sanskrit antar "among, between," Latin inter "between, among," Greek entera "intestines;" see inter-). Related: Understood; understanding.

That is the suggestion in Barnhart, but other sources regard the "among, between, before, in the presence of" sense of Old English prefix and preposition under as other meanings of the same word. "Among" seems to be the sense in many Old English compounds that resemble understand, such as underniman "to receive," undersecan "examine, investigate, scrutinize" (literally "underseek"), underðencan "consider, change one's mind," underginnan "to begin."

It also seems to be the sense still in expressions such as under such circumstances. Perhaps the ultimate sense is "be close to;" compare Greek epistamai "I know how, I know," literally "I stand upon."

Similar formations are found in Old Frisian (understonda), Middle Danish (understande), while other Germanic languages use compounds meaning "stand before" (German verstehen, represented in Old English by forstanden "understand," also "oppose, withstand"). For this concept, most Indo-European languages use figurative extensions of compounds that literally mean "put together," or "separate," or "take, grasp" (see comprehend).

The range of spellings of understand in Middle English (understont, understounde, unþurstonde, onderstonde, hunderstonde, oundyrston, wonderstande, urdenstonden, etc.) perhaps reflects early confusion over the elements of the compound. Old English oferstandan, Middle English overstonden, literally "over-stand" seem to have been used only in literal senses.

By mid-14c. as "to take as meant or implied (though not expressed); imply; infer; assume; take for granted." The intransitive sense of "have the use of the intellectual faculties; be an intelligent and conscious being" also is in late Old English. In Middle English also "reflect, muse, be thoughtful; imagine; be suspicious of; pay attention, take note; strive for; plan, intend; conceive (a child)." Also sometimes literal, "to occupy space at a lower level" (late 14c.) and, figuratively, "to submit." For "to stand under" in a physical sense, Old English had undergestandan.

understatement (n.)

1799, from under + statement.

understory (n.)

in reference to forest vegetation, also under-story, 1902, from under + story (n.).

understudy (v.)

also under-study, 1852, in the theatrical sense "memorize a part so as to be capable of performing on short notice it in the absence of the one to which it is assigned," from under + study (v.). The noun is attested from 1848, translating Italian supplimento.

undertake (v.)

c. 1200, "to entrap;" c. 1300, "to set about (to do)," from under + take (v.). Similar formation in French entreprendre "to undertake," from entre "between, among" + prendre "to take." The under in this word may be the same one that also may form the first element of understand. Old English had underniman "to trap, accept" (cognate with Dutch ondernemen, German unternehmen).

undertaking (n.)

"enterprise," early 15c., verbal noun from undertake (v.). An Old English word for this was underfangenes.

undertaker (n.)

c. 1400, "a contractor or projecter of any sort," agent noun from undertake (v.). The specialized sense (1690s) emerged from funeral-undertaker.

undertone (n.)

1762, "low or subdued tone," from under + tone (n.). Figurative sense of "undercurrent of feelings, etc.," is attested from 1861.

undertow (n.)

1798, from under + tow (n.).

underutilize (v.)

also under-utilize, 1949, from under + utilize. Related: Underutilized; underutilizing.

undervalue (v.)

1590s, "to rate as inferior in value" (to), from under + value (v.). Sense of "to estimate or esteem too low" is recorded from 1610s. Meaning "to rate at too low a monetary value" is attested from 1620s. Related: Undervalued; undervaluing.

underway (adv.)

1749, of ships, "having begun to move," from under + way (n.). In reference to projects, activities, etc., it is attested from 1935.

underwater (adj.)

1620s, from under + water (n.1). Of mortgages from 2008.

underwear (n.)

"undergarments," 1872, from under + wear (n.). So called because they are worn under one's clothing.

underweight (adj.)

1899, from under- + weight.

underwhelm (v.)

1953 (implied in underwhelming), a facetious play on overwhelm, with under. Related: Underwhelmed; underwhelmingly.

underworld (n.)

c. 1600, "the lower world, Hades, place of departed souls," also "the earth, the world below the skies," as distinguished from heaven; see under + world. Similar formation in German unterwelt, Dutch onderwereld, Danish underverden. The meaning "lower level of society" is attested from 1890; the sense of "criminals and organized crime collectively" is attested from 1900.

underwriter (n.)

1610s, "subscriber," agent noun from underwrite (v.). Insurance sense is from 1620s.

underwrite (v.)

Old English underwritan "write at the foot of; subscribe;" see under + write (v.). A loan-translation of Latin subscribere (see subscribe). Used literally at first; modern sense of "to accept the risk of insurance" (1620s) is from notion of signing a marine insurance policy. Meaning "to support by a guarantee of money" is recorded from 1890.

undeserved (adj.)

late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of deserve (v.). Related: Undeservedly.

undeserving (adj.)

1540s, from un- (1) "not" + present participle of deserve (v.).

undesirable (adj.)

1660s, "not to be desired, objectionable," from un- (1) "not" + desirable. The noun meaning "undesirable person or thing" is first attested 1883. Undesired "not asked or invited" is recorded from late 15c.

undeterred (adj.)

c. 1600, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of deter (v.).

undetectable (adj.)

1789, from un- (1) "not" + detectable.

undetected (adj.)

1590s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of detect (v.).

undetermined (adj.)

mid-15c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of determine (v.).

undeveloped (adj.)

1736, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of develop (v.). In reference to film, it is attested from 1939.

undeviating (adj.)

1732, from un- (1) "not" + present participle of deviate (v.).

undies (n.)

1906, diminutive euphemistic abbreviation for women's underwear (or undergarments).

undying (adj.)

c. 1300, "immortal," from un- (1) "not" + present participle of die (v.). Figurative sense, of feelings, etc., is recorded from c. 1765.

undifferentiated (adj.)

1862, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of differentiate (v.).

undigested (adj.)

1520s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of digest (v.). Figurative sense is recorded from c. 1600.

undignified (adj.)

1680s, of clergy, "not holding a position of dignity," from un- (1) "not" + dignified. Meaning "lacking in dignity of manner" is attested from 1782.

undiluted (adj.)

1756, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of dilute (v.).

undiminished (adj.)

1580s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of diminish (v.).

undine (n.)

female water spirit, 1821, from Modern Latin Undina (1650s), coined by Paracelsus ("De Nymphis") in his alchemical system, from Latin unda "a wave, billow" (from PIE root *wed- (1) "water; wet"). Popularized by German romance "Undine, eine Erzählung" (1811) by Baron F.H.C. La Motte Fouqué. Undinism (1928) was coined by sex researcher Havelock Ellis to describe the fetish for urine (which Ellis had); nowadays it would be called urophilia.