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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | underneothan, from under + neothan 'below' |
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un‧der‧neath1 S2
1 directly under another object or covered by it : 
He got out of the car and looked underneath.It's near where the railway goes underneath the road. She was wearing a smart jacket with a T-shirt underneath. Her blonde hair was hidden underneath a baseball cap. ➔ see usage note under
He got out of the car and looked underneath.It's near where the railway goes underneath the road.She was wearing a smart jacket with a T-shirt underneath.Her blonde hair was hidden underneath a baseball cap.2 on the lower surface of something : The car was rusty underneath. A number had been painted underneath the table.
The car was rusty underneath.A number had been painted underneath the table.3 used to say what someone's character is really like when their behaviour shows a different character : She seems confident, but she's really quite shy underneath.
She seems confident, but she's really quite shy underneath.WORD CHOICE: 
WORD CHOICE: 
under, underneath, below, beneathUnder is the usual way to say that one thing is at a lower level than another, or is covered by it • Your shoes are under the table. • He lay under a blanket.Under is nearly always used as a preposition (followed by a noun).Underneath has a similar meaning to under, and is used especially when something is hidden or covered • a box underneath the floorboardsIt can also be used as an adverb • She lifted the cover and peeped underneath.Below is used when one thing is at a much lower level than another, and can be a preposition or an adverb • the apartment below ours • Mist lay in the valley below.Beneath can be used in the same ways as under and below, but is a more literary or formal word • beneath the silvery moon • the cliff, and the ocean beneath ➔ See also under
WORD CHOICE: under, underneath, below, beneathUnder is the usual way to say that one thing is at a lower level than another, or is covered by it • Your shoes are under the table. • He lay under a blanket.Under is nearly always used as a preposition (followed by a noun).Underneath has a similar meaning to under, and is used especially when something is hidden or covered • a box underneath the floorboardsIt can also be used as an adverb • She lifted the cover and peeped underneath.Below is used when one thing is at a much lower level than another, and can be a preposition or an adverb • the apartment below ours • Mist lay in the valley below.Beneath can be used in the same ways as under and below, but is a more literary or formal word • beneath the silvery moon • the cliff, and the ocean beneath ➔ See also under
