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Underneath vs Underlying - What's the difference?

underneath | underlying |

As adjectives the difference between underneath and underlying

is that underneath is under, lower while underlying is lying underneath.

As an adverb underneath

is below; in a place beneath.

As a preposition underneath

is under, below, beneath.

As a noun underneath

is the part under or lower.

underneath

English

Adverb

(-)
  • Below; in a place beneath.
    • (rfexample)
  • On the underside or lower face of.
    • (rfexample)

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Under, below, beneath.
    • Underneath the water, all was calm.
    We flew underneath the bridge.
    We looked underneath the table.
  • Under the control or power of.
    • There was little freedom underneath the jackboot.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Under, lower.
    • You can have the underneath bunk.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • The part under or lower.
    • The underneath of the aircraft was painted blue.
  • A background radio sound track played during a specific announcement or program.
  • * 2009 , Jay Trachtenberg (radio host), KUT-FM Radio, Austin, Texas, 17 Dec.:
    • The underneath is music from the latest album by [...].

    underlying

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • lying underneath
    • We dug down to the underlying rock.
  • basic or fundamental
    • Points and straight lines are underlying elements of geometry.
  • implicit
    • Many nursery rhymes have an underlying meaning.

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