underwrite
/ˈʌndəɹaɪt/verb
underwrite is spelled U-N-D-E-R-W-R-I-T-E: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 49,949th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, underwrite means “To write below or under; subscribe” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in underwrite?
| Letters | 10: U-N-D-E-R-W-R-I-T-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 49,949th 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 underwrite?
Underwrite appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 49,949th 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 underwrite?
- /ˈʌndəɹaɪt/
- /ʌndəˈɹaɪt/
Underwrite has 3 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). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-underwrite.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of underwrite
- underwrites present, singular, he/she/it
- underwriting participle, present
- underwrote past
- underwritten participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does underwrite mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To write below or under; subscribe.
- 2
obsoleteTo subscribe (a document, policy etc.) with one's name.
- 3
To sign; to put one's name to.
- 4
To agree to pay by signing one's name; subscribe.
- 5
Specifically, to assume financial responsibility for something, and guarantee it against failure.
- 6
To act as an underwriter.
- 7
To support, lend support to, guarantee the basis of.
- 8
obsoleteTo submit to; put up with.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Underwrite in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to assume financial responsibility for something:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | unterschreiben |
| Spanish | suscribir |
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.
Where does underwrite come from?
From Middle English underwriten, from Old English underwrītan (“to write at the foot of, write under, subscribe”). Compare Dutch onderschrijven (“to endorse”), German unterschreiben (“to sign; endorse”), Danish underskrive (“to sign; endorse”). By surface analysis, under- + write.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).