student asking question

If "under-" comes in front of the word, does it mean it's "short of something"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

The prefix "under" can mean "not enough", but it can also mean "below" "beneath" "less" and "lower", depending on the word and context. Some examples of more words with "under" as a prefix are: underground (below ground), undergraduate (lower than graduate), and understated (less).

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