Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

'neath

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.84 in modern English

Syllables: 'neath
IPA

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

prep

Alternative spelling of neath; beneath.

Example Sentences

"Have you ever been south of Monterey? / Barrancas carve the coastline / And the chaparral flows to the sea / ’Neath waves of golden sunshine"
"One land and one nation is our cry, / Dignity and peace 'neath Zambia's sky"
"And here in Spain I am a Spaniard / I will be buried with my marionettes / Countess and courtesan / Have fallen 'neath my tender hand / When their husbands were not around"
"We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford."

Etymology

From a misunderstanding of neath as an apheretic form of beneath, when it is in fact the older and original (or prefixless) form thereof. See and compare 'til (from till, the origin of until) for a similar case, as well as fore (whence before).

Questions

What does 'neath mean?: Alternative spelling of neath; beneath.
Where does 'neath come from?: From a misunderstanding of neath as an apheretic form of beneath, when it is in fact the older and original (or prefixless) form thereof. See and compare 'til (from till, the origin of until) for a similar case, as well as fore (whence before).

How to pronounce 'neath

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “'neath”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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