Search results
- Dictionaryunderlying/ʌndəˈlʌɪɪŋ/
verb
- 1. present participle of underlie
adjective
- 1. significant as a cause or basis of something but not necessarily manifest or obvious: "the flu can be particularly severe for the elderly and those with underlying conditions" Similar Opposite
- 2. lying or situated under something: "the underlying muscles of the face"
Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
UNDERLYING definition: 1. real but not immediately obvious: 2. used to describe something on which something else is…. Learn more.
1. a. : lying beneath or below. the underlying rock is shale. b. : basic, fundamental. an investigation of the underlying issues. 2. : evident only on close inspection : implicit. 3. : anterior and prior in claim. underlying mortgage. 4. : of or being present in deep structure. underlying word order. Synonyms. abecedarian. basal. basic. beginning.
The obvious meaning of underlying refers to something beneath something else. But the word carries a more subtle meaning, that of something hidden but important, something that shapes the meaning or effect of something else, without being explicit itself.
adjective. lying or situated beneath, as a substratum. fundamental; basic: the underlying cause of their discontent. implicit; discoverable only by close scrutiny or analysis: an underlying seriousness in his witticisms. (of a claim, mortgage, etc.) taking precedence; anterior; prior.
adj. 1. lying beneath something else, as a substratum. 2. fundamental; basic: the underlying cause. 3. discoverable only by close scrutiny or analysis; implicit. 4. (of a claim, mortgage, etc.) taking precedence; prior. [1605–15]
Definition of underlying adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
The underlying features of an object, event, or situation are not obvious, and it may be difficult to discover or reveal them. To stop a problem you have to understand its underlying causes. American English : underlying / ʌndərˈlaɪɪŋ /
UNDERLYING definition: An underlying reason or problem is the real reason or problem, although it is not obvious: . Learn more.
un•der•ly•ing (un′ dər lī′ing), adj. lying or situated beneath, as a substratum. fundamental; basic: the underlying cause of their discontent. implicit; discoverable only by close scrutiny or analysis: an underlying seriousness in his witticisms. Business (of a claim, mortgage, etc.) taking precedence;
Jun 19, 2024 · Definitions of 'underlying'. 1. The underlying features of an object, event, or situation are not obvious, and it may be difficult to discover or reveal them. [...] 2. You describe something as underlying when it is below the surface of something else. [...] 3. See also underlie.
