underpinning
noun, verb
underpinning is spelled U-N-D-E-R-P-I-N-N-I-N-G: 12 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, underpinning means “A support or foundation, especially as a structure of masonry that supports a wall” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of underpinning is underpinnings.
How many letters and syllables are in underpinning?
| Letters | 12: U-N-D-E-R-P-I-N-N-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 33,636th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is underpinning?
Underpinning appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce underpinning?
Underpinning has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Forms of underpinning
- underpinnings plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does underpinning mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 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
A basis for something.
I would like to know more about the underpinning of this political theory.
- 3
The lower body or legs.
verb
- 1
present participle and gerund of underpin
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Underpinning in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense a support or foundation of a structure:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | soubassement |
| German | Untermauerung |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.