below
/bɪˈloʊ/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 5.05 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
prep
Downstream of.
prep
South of.
prep
Unsuitable to the rank or dignity of; beneath.
prep
Downstage of.
adv
In or to a lower place.
adv
In or to a lower place.
Example Sentences
- "One morning I had been driven to the precarious refuge afforded by the steps of the inn, after rejecting offers from the Celebrity to join him in a variety of amusements. But even here I was not free from interruption, for he was seated on a horse-block below me, playing with a fox terrier."
- "The treasure is buried two meters below the surface."
- "The marmalade is on the shelf below the bread."
- "one degree below kings"
- "Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer."
- "The temperature is below zero."
Etymology
From Middle English bilooghe, equivalent to be- + low. Compare also earlier Middle English alogh, alow, aloȝ, alowe (“below”), benethen (“beneath”), Dutch omlaag (“downwards”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: bilooghe
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /bɪˈloʊ/
- British English: /bɪˈləʊ/