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underlie

 - 3 dictionary results

un⋅der⋅lie

  [uhn-der-lahy]
Use underlie in a Sentence
–verb (used with object) -lay, -lain, -ly⋅ing.
1. to lie under or beneath; be situated under.
2. to be at the basis of; form the foundation of.
3. Grammar. to function as the root morpheme or original or basic form of (a derived form): The form “boy” underlies “boyish.”
4. Finance. to be primary to another right or security.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME underlyen (v.), OE underlicgan. See under-, lie 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To underlie
un·der·lie   (ŭn'dər-lī')   
tr.v.   un·der·lay (-lā'), un·der·lain (-lān'), un·der·ly·ing, un·der·lies

  1. To be located under or below.

  2. To be the support or basis of; account for: Many factors underlie my decision.

  3. To constitute a prior financial claim over: Dividends for preferred stock underlie those of common stock.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

underlie 
O.E. under licgan "to be subordinate to, to submit to;" see under + lie (v.2). Meaning "to lie under or beneath" is attested from 1600; fig. sense of "to be the basis of" is attested from 1852 (implied in underlying).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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