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underpassa road or path that goes under another road, railway, or river

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a road or path that goes under another road, railway, or river

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈʌndərpæs/

Example Sentences

  • The shopping mall underpass is so confusing that even GPS gets lost there.
  • Construction of the new underpass will reduce traffic congestion significantly.
  • He accidentally entered the underpass and ended up in a different city.

underpass

NOUN

[/ˈʌndərpæs/]

a road or path that goes under another road, railway, or river

Pedestrians walk safely through the underpass beneath the busy highway above.
💡 Concept

Pedestrians walk safely through the underpass beneath the busy highway above.

Don't trespass the bypass, use the underpass!
🎵 Rhyme

Don't trespass the bypass, use the underpass!

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈʌndərpæs/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈʌndəpɑːs/

🌳Etymology

Prefixunder--
Rootpass

Origin

Underpass is a 20th-century English compound formed from under and pass, literally meaning 'a passage underneath'. The term emerged in the early 1900s with the development of automotive and railway transportation, created to address traffic congestion by allowing roads or railways to cross beneath other routes.

Breakdown

under- (beneath, below) + pass (to go through or across). The compound combines a directional prefix with a verb denoting movement or transit.

🎵Rhyme

bypassoverpasstrespass
bypass
overpass
trespass

🔗Collocations

pedestrian underpass
railway underpass
highway underpass
build an underpass
dark underpass
narrow underpass

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

The shopping mall underpass is so confusing that even GPS gets lost there.

Construction of the new underpass will reduce traffic congestion significantly.

😄 Fun example

He accidentally entered the underpass and ended up in a different city.

The underpass provides a safe route for cyclists during rush hour.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

subwaytunnelunderground passage

Antonyms

overpassbridgeflyover

Related

intersectioncrosswalkhighwayinfrastructure

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