Has an Underlying Meaning?

underlying Add to list Share. The obvious meaning of underlying refers to something beneath something else. But the word carries a more subtle meaning, that of something hidden but important, something that shapes the meaning or effect of something else, without being explicit itself.

How do you use the word underlying?

Underlying in a Sentence ?
  1. The underlying cause for most lung cancer is smoking.
  2. Although it is not the only underlying problem, a rise in joblessness has brought on more crime.
  3. Strokes can be triggered by underlying diseases such as diabetes.

What is it called when a word has a deeper meaning?

Polysemy (/pəˈlɪsɪmi/ or /ˈpɒlɪsiːmi/; from Greek: πολύ-, polý-, "many" and σῆμα, sêma, "sign") is the capacity for a word or phrase to have multiple related meanings. ... Dictionary writers often list polysemes under the same entry; homonyms are defined separately.

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross

Gaming, Esports & Interactive Media Writer

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.