understructure

English

Etymology

From under- +‎ structure.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

understructure (plural understructures)

  1. The supporting structure underneath something, such as a vehicle or bridge.
    Antonyms: overstructure, superstructure
    Holonym: infrastructure (facilities sense)
    Near-synonyms: infrastructure (foundations sense), underpinnings
    • 2008 January 22, Kirk Johnson, “Strength Renewed, a Grand Old Building Is Back”, in The New York Times‎[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 16 April 2024:
      Four small suspension bridges, complete with towers and cables like those on the span across the East River, are now encased inside the Capitol’s subbasement understructure.

Derived terms

Verb

understructure (third-person singular simple present understructures, present participle understructuring, simple past and past participle understructured)

  1. (transitive) To structure insufficiently or inadequately.
    Antonym: overstructure

Anagrams

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