Word.ws English Dictionary

underpinnings

underpinnings is the plural of underpinning.

Meaning of underpinning

Noun

underpinning (plural underpinnings)

  1. A support or foundation, especially as a structure of masonry that supports a wall.
    • This house's underpinning is not up to standard.
  2. (figuratively) A basis for something.
    • I would like to know more about the underpinning of this political theory.
  3. (figuratively, humorous) The lower body or legs.
    • Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ and if you don't look out there's likely to be some nice, lively dog taking an interest in your underpinning.”1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

Questions about underpinnings

What is underpinnings the plural of?
Underpinnings is the plural of underpinning.

Words near underpinnings in the dictionary

  1. underpin
  2. underpinned
  3. underpinner
  4. underpinners
  5. underpinning
  6. underpinnings
  7. underpins
  8. underpitched
  9. underplace
  10. underplaced
  11. underplacement

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: underpinnings (page history and authors); underpinning (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “underpinnings.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/underpinnings. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.