under the table

prep_phrase

"under-the-table" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“under the table” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a prep_phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Secret; covert; undisclosed.

Key facts for under the table
PropertyValue
Headwordunder the table
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrep_phrase
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “under the table” sits in English frequency

under the table falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for under the table is 15 letters long, classified as a prep_phrase. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for under the table in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is under the table, spelled U-N-D-E-R- -T-H-E- -T-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Secret; covert; undisclosed.
  2. 2
    Secretly; covertly; undisclosedly.
  3. 3
    In or into a state of stupification or boredom.
  4. 4
    In or into a state of drunkenness.
  5. 5
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see under, table.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "under the table"?
"under the table" is spelled U-N-D-E-R- -T-H-E- -T-A-B-L-E.
What does "under the table" mean?
As a prep_phrase, "under the table" means: Secret; covert; undisclosed.
What language does "under the table" come from?
"under the table" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “under the table”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is U-N-D-E-R- -T-H-E- -T-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list