underground
Meaning
existing, happening, or operating beneath the surface of the earth
secret and often illegal, especially because not approved by those in authority
a railway system that runs through tunnels under a city
beneath the surface of the earth
Structure
Usage
the cables are buried underground for safety.
during the war, she worked for an underground resistance network.
we took the underground to get across london quickly.
Etymology
The word "underground" is a transparent compound formed from two Old English elements. The prefix "under-" has remained remarkably stable from its Proto-Germanic ancestor under, which itself descends from the Proto-Indo-European root ndher-, meaning "under". The noun "ground" evolved from Old English grund, signifying the bottom or foundation, derived from Proto-Germanic grundu-. The literal, spatial meaning of "beneath the earth's surface" is direct and ancient. The figurative senses, such as secret or revolutionary activity, developed in the 17th and 18th centuries by metaphorically extending the idea of being hidden from the view of the established authorities above ground.
Analysis
- under: from old english under, meaning "beneath, among, during". functions as a prepositional prefix indicating a lower position or state. - ground: from old english grund, meaning "bottom, foundation, earth". functions as the base noun denoting the solid surface of the earth.