adv · prep · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/bɪˈniːθ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -iːθ
CMU ARPABET:B IH0 N IY1 TH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Below or underneath.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
prep
Meaning 2
Below.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
1718, Alexander Pope, epitaph to Nicholas Rowe Beneath a rude and nameless stone he lies.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
prep
Meaning 3
In a position that is lower in rank, dignity, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Their despicable behaviour is beneath contempt.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
prep
Meaning 4
Covered up or concealed by something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adverb
Meaning 5
in or to a place that is lower
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: below, at a lower place, to a lower place
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English benethe, from Old English bineoþan (“beneath, under, below”), equivalent to be- + neath. Cognate with Low German benedden (“beneath”), Dutch beneden (“beneath, under, down”), obsolete German benieden (“below”).
Across languages
Translations
71 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
تَحْت
(taḥt)
— below or underneath
Arabic:
تحت
(taḥt)
— below or underneath
Catalan:
sota
— below or underneath
Dutch:
onder
— below or underneath
Dutch:
beneden
— below or underneath
Esperanto:
sube
— below or underneath
Finnish:
alla
— below or underneath
French:
dessous
— below or underneath
Galician:
abaixo
— below or underneath
Galician:
so
— below or underneath
Hungarian:
lent
— below or underneath
Hungarian:
alul
— below or underneath
Irish:
ar íochtar
— below or underneath
Italian:
sotto
— below or underneath
Korean:
아래에
(araee)
— below or underneath
Latin:
subtus
— below or underneath
Latin:
subter
— below or underneath
Polish:
pod
— below or underneath
Polish:
poniżej
— below or underneath
Portuguese:
abaixo
— below or underneath
Portuguese:
embaixo
— below or underneath
Serbo-Croatian:
ispod
— below or underneath
Spanish:
bajo
— below or underneath
Swedish:
under
— below or underneath
Tocharian B:
ñor
— below or underneath
Turkish:
altında
— below or underneath
Ottoman Turkish:
آشاغی
(aşağı)
— below or underneath
Ukrainian:
під
(pid)
— below or underneath
Ukrainian:
ни́жче
(nýžče)
— below or underneath
Arabic:
أَسْفَل
(ʔasfal)
— below
Arabic:
تحت
(taḥt)
— below
Armenian:
տակ
(tak)
— below
Bulgarian:
отдолу
(otdolu)
— below
Bulgarian:
под
(pod)
— below
Catalan:
sota
— below
Czech:
pod
— below
Dutch:
onder
— below
Esperanto:
sub
— below
Finnish:
alla
— below
Finnish:
alapuolella
— below
French:
sous
— below
German:
unter
— below
Ancient Greek:
ὑπό
(hupó)
— below
Hungarian:
alatt
— below
Hungarian:
alá
— below
Irish:
faoi bhun
— below
Latin:
sub
— below
Marathi:
खाली
(khālī)
— below
Norwegian:
under
— below
Portuguese:
embaixo de
— below
Romanian:
sub
— below
Romanian:
dedesubt
— below
Russian:
под
(pod)
— below
Scots:
aneath
— below
Scottish Gaelic:
fo
— below
Serbo-Croatian:
ispod
— below
Serbo-Croatian:
pod
— below
Spanish:
bajo de
— below
Spanish:
abajo de
— below
Ukrainian:
під
(pid)
— below
Dutch:
onder
— to a lower position
Finnish:
alle
— to a lower position
Finnish:
alapuolelle
— to a lower position
German:
unter
— to a lower position
Russian:
ни́же
(níže)
— to a lower position
Serbo-Croatian:
naniže
— to a lower position
Ukrainian:
ни́жче
(nýžče)
— to a lower position
Dutch:
onder
— concealed or covered up
Finnish:
alla
— concealed or covered up
Hungarian:
alatt
— concealed or covered up
Serbo-Croatian:
pokriven
— concealed or covered up