Where does “subterranean” come from?
Subterranean comes from Latin subterraneus, formed from Latin sub meaning under and Latin terra meaning earth, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European upo meaning under.
subterranean (English): below ground, under the earth, underground
Definitions
- below ground, under the earth, underground
Ancestry of “subterranean”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | subterraneus | underground, subterranean |
| 2 | Latin | sub- | under, sub |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |