Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “underdig” come from?

underdig (English) comes from English understand, from Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan, from Proto-Germanic understandaną, from Proto-Germanic under, from Proto-Indo-European h₁entér, from Proto-Indo-European h₁en — in; in, inside.

underdig (English): To dig under or beneath; to undermine

Definitions

  1. To dig under or beneath; to undermine

Ancestry of “underdig”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderstandTo grasp a concept fully and thoroughly,...
2Middle Englishunderstanden—
3Old Englishunderstandanto understand
4Proto-Germanicunderstandanąto stand between, stand in the midst, understand
5Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁en →