under

The word “under” means below or beneath something, in position. In plain terms, a basic word for beneath, less than, or subject to — used constantly across everyday and formal English.

“Under” is pronounced UHN-duh (/ˈʌndɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “under” used in a sentence: “The cat hid under the bed during the thunderstorm.”

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

The opposite of “under” — its antonyms — are above and over.

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

The word “under” comes from Latin. From Old English under, from Proto-Germanic *under, related to German unter and Latin infra ("below") — an ancient word for "beneath" going back to Proto-Indo-European.

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

Both mean in a lower position, but "under" often suggests being directly beneath or covered by something ("under the table," "under a blanket"), while "below" simply means at a lower level, often with no contact ("below sea level"). In many sentences either word works.

They are usually interchangeable for physical position, but "underneath" tends to emphasize being covered or hidden and sounds slightly more emphatic. Only "under" is used for amounts: "under £10," never "underneath £10."

Yes. Before a quantity, "under" means less than the stated amount: "under 18" means younger than 18, and "under £50" means costing less than £50. In precise technical writing, "less than" or "fewer than" is sometimes preferred.

The standard phrase is "under construction." "Under" appears in many fixed expressions describing an ongoing state or process, such as "under review," "under pressure," and "under way."