- at or to a lower level or position than somebody/something
- He dived below the surface of the water.
- Please do not write below this line.
- Skirts will be worn below (= long enough to cover) the knee.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- of a lower amount or standard than somebody/something
- The temperatures remained below freezing all day.
- Her work was well below average for the class.
- of a lower rank or of less importance than somebody/something
- A police sergeant is below an inspector.
Word Originlate Middle English (as an adverb): from be- ‘by’ + the adjective low. Not common until the 16th cent., the word developed a prepositional use and was frequent in Shakespeare.
Check pronunciation:
below