# underlying

> English word · Adjective · frequency rank #5,464

## Definitions
1. lying underneath
2. basic or fundamental
3. implicit

## Etymology
By surface analysis, underlie + -ing.

## Easily confused with
- **underline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/underline-vs-underlying)
- **underlining** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/underlining-vs-underlying)

## Common misspellings (16)
`nuderlying`, `udnerlying`, `undderlying`, `undelrying`, `underliyng`, `underllying`, `underlyign`, `underlyingg`, `underlyinng`, `underlynig`, `underlyying`, `underrlying`, `underyling`, `undrelying`, `unedrlying`, `unnderlying`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/underlying