underlying

6 definitions • 8 examples

real but not immediately obvious:

And what might be the underlying significance of these supposedly random acts?

used to describe something on which something else is based:

The price of the investment fell below the value of the underlying assets.

positioned under the surface of something:

The currents are affected by the shape of the underlying rocks.

real but not immediately obvious:

The investigation focused on the underlying causes of the fire.

used to describe the shares, etc. to which something such as an option (= the right to buy or sell something in the future) relates:

The option was sold requiring payment against delivery of the underlying security.

used to describe the basic level or amount of something before anything else is added or taken away:

Underlying conditions are favourable.

They underestimated their underlying costs and ended up losing a lot of money.

Last year the company had underlying earnings of $10.6m on $34m sales.