below

The word “below” means at a lower position than; underneath. In plain terms, underneath, or lower than something — in position, amount, or further down a page.

“Below” is pronounced bih-LOH (/bɪˈloʊ/ in IPA).

Here is “below” used in a sentence: “The valley lay below the mountain ridge.”

Words with a similar meaning to “below” include under, beneath and underneath.

The opposite of “below” — its antonyms — are above, over, upstream, aloft and overhead.

Depending on how it is used, “below” can be a preposition and an adverb.

The word “below” comes from Middle English. From Middle English bilooghe, formed from "be-" plus "low.".

“Below” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

Both mean at a lower position, and often either works. "Below" is the everyday choice for something lower on a scale or further down ("the temperature is below zero"). "Beneath" can feel slightly more formal or literary and often implies direct contact or being covered ("the letter lay beneath the books"). The overlap is large.

"Under" usually means directly beneath, often in contact or covered ("under the bed," "under a blanket"). "Below" means simply at a lower level, not necessarily directly underneath ("the valley below," "below sea level"). You would write "ten degrees below zero," not "under zero." When position on a scale is meant, "below" is preferred.

The opposite of "below" is "above," meaning at a higher position. Related opposites include "over," "on top of," and "overhead." If something is below the line, its opposite is above the line; if a figure is below average, the opposite is above average. The pair "above and below" is very common.