underlying

Academic Word List, sublist 6.

About 26.87 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. adjective Lying underneath.

   We dug down to the underlying rock.

2. adjective Basic or fundamental.

   Points and straight lines are underlying elements of geometry.

3. adjective Implicit.

   Many nursery rhymes have an underlying meaning.

4. noun The entity from whose performance a derivative derives its value.
5. verb present participle and gerund of underlie

Similar words

subjacent inherent fundamental basic rudimentary implicit inexplicit implicit in overlying underpinning

Often followed by

the this cause causes principles assumptions assumption these all structure

Word family

underlay underlie underlies