German word

unterirdisch

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʊntɐˌɪʁdɪʃ/

Meaning

  • adjectiveunderground

Example

Die unterirdische Station ist gleich hier.

The underground station is right here.

Illustration for unterirdisch (underground)

More examples

Die Archäologen entdeckten unterirdische Gänge unter der alten Stadtmauer.

The archaeologists found underground passages beneath the old city wall.

Core concept

A complete structure runs below the surface, hidden from ordinary view but still connected to the world above.

Common phrases

  • unterirdische Station

    underground station

  • unterirdische Gänge

    underground passages

  • unterirdische Anlagen

    underground installations

Similar words

tief: At a considerable distance beneath the ground or a reference point.
dunkel: Not brightly lit, with very little light.
schrecklich: Exceptionally awful and likely to provoke strong negative feelings.

Definition in German

unterirdisch beschreibt Dinge oder Räume, die unter der Erdoberfläche liegen.

Word origin

The adjective is formed from unter and irdisch, with irdisch built from Erde, earth, by means of the adjective-forming suffix -isch.

Usage tips

  • In colloquial figurative use, unterirdisch can describe something extremely poor or awful rather than something physically below ground.

Opposites

  • oberirdischabovegroundadjective

Related words

  • das Unterirdischethe underground realmnoun

Word lists with this word