below
- 01 A1 Beginner
prep.in a lower place than something else.
prep.at or to a lower level or position than something.
Simple“The sun disappeared below the horizon as evening began.”
In context“From the mountain peak, we could see the tiny village nestled in the valley far below the clouds.”
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
prep.lower than a particular amount, level, or temperature.
prep.lower than a specific quantity, degree, or limit on a scale.
Simple“The temperature dropped below zero during the night.”
In context“The company reported that profits had fallen significantly below the targets set by the board of directors last year.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
prep.lower in importance or rank than someone else.
prep.lower in status, rank, or importance within a hierarchy.
Simple“In the army, a captain is below a major.”
In context“The junior researchers are positioned below the senior fellows in the laboratory's administrative structure.”
- 04 A2 Elementary
adv.at or to a lower place or floor.
adv.at or to a lower level or position; often used to refer to a lower deck on a ship.
Simple“We live on the top floor and the owners live below.”
In context“The captain ordered the crew to go below as the storm intensified and waves began crashing over the deck.”
Synonyms - 05 B1 Intermediate
adv.further down on the same page or later in a document.
adv.further down in a written document or on a printed page.
Simple“Please see the table below for more details about the prices.”
In context“The specific methodology used for the data collection is described in detail in the section provided below.”
Commonly used to indicate position relative to a surface or a point on a vertical scale.
Unlike 'in front of' or 'on top of', 'below' is a simple preposition and does not take 'of'.
From Middle English bilooghe, equivalent to be- + low. Compare also earlier Middle English alogh, alow, aloȝ, alowe (“below”), benethen (“beneath”), Dutch omlaag (“downwards”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.