different between underground vs spelunking

English

Etymology

From Middle English undergrounde (adverb), equivalent to under +? ground. Compare Dutch ondergrond, ondergronds, German Untergrund, Danish undergrunds.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??nd????a?nd/, (especially for the noun) /??nd???a?nd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??nd????a?nd/, (especially for the noun) /??nd???a?nd/
• Rhymes: -a?nd
• Hyphenation: un?der?ground

Adjective

underground (comparative more underground, superlative most underground)

1. (not comparable) Below the ground; below the surface of the Earth.

   Synonyms: subterranean, hypogean
2. (figuratively) Hidden, furtive, secretive.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:hidden, Thesaurus:covert

3. (Of music, art &c.) Outside the mainstream, especially unofficial and hidden from the authorities.

   Synonyms: unconventional, alternative

   Antonym: mainstream

Translations

Adverb

underground (comparative more underground, superlative most underground)

1. Below the ground.

   Synonym: below ground

2. Secretly.

   Synonyms: clandestinely, in secret, on the quiet

Translations

Noun

underground (plural undergrounds)

1. (geography) Regions beneath the surface of the earth, both natural (eg. caves) and man-made (eg. mines).
2. (chiefly Britain) Synonym of subway: a railway that is under the ground.

3. (with definite article) A movement or organisation of people who resist political convention.

   Synonym: resistance

4. (with definite article) A movement or organisation of people who resist artistic convention.

   Synonyms: avant-garde, counterculture

Translations

Verb

underground (third-person singular simple present undergrounds, present participle undergrounding, simple past and past participle undergrounded)

1. To route electricity distribution cables underground

Translations

See also

• underground railway
• go underground

Finnish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English underground.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nder.?r?und/, [??nde?r??r?und]

Noun

underground

1. underground (culture)

Declension

Compounds

• undergroundelokuva
• undergroundkirjallisuus
• undergroundkulttuuri
• undergroundsarjakuva

French

Etymology

From English underground.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /œ?.d??.??awnd/

Adjective

underground (invariable)

1. underground (outside the mainstream)

Noun

underground m (uncountable)

1. (singular only) the underground (people who resist artistic convention)

Further reading

• “underground” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Italian

Etymology

From English underground.

Noun

l'underground m (invariable)

1. the underground (people who resist artistic convention)

Spanish

Etymology

From English underground.

Noun

underground m (plural undergrounds)

1. underground (movement)

English

Etymology

spelunk +? -ing. Back-formation from spelunker. Attested since 1946.

Noun

spelunking (usually uncountable, plural spelunkings)

1. The practice or hobby of exploring underground caverns.

   Synonym: caving

   • 2001, Nancy Hathaway, The Friendly Guide to Mythology (page 277)

     In the great myths, the adventures are external, even when they involve such metaphorical spelunkings as the voyage into the underworld.

Translations

Verb

spelunking

1. present participle of spelunk

Further reading

• caving on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References