Where does “underlife” come from?

underlife (English) comes from English life, from Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic līb, from Proto-Germanic lībą, from Proto-Germanic lībaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

underlife (English): Life concealed from common knowledge

Definitions

  1. Life concealed from common knowledge

Ancestry of “underlife”, step by step

underlife traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English life

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlifeThe state of organisms preceding their death,...
2Middle Englishlyflife
3Old Englishlīflife, existence; life-time
4Proto-West Germaniclībbody; life
5Proto-Germaniclībąbody; life
6Proto-Germaniclībanąto remain, to be left
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

via English under

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderIn or at a lower level than; As a subject of;...
2Middle Englishunderunder
3Old Englishunderunder, beneath
4Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy-Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyp-Every word from Proto-Germanic lībaną
underlife — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer