Underfoot
/ˌʌn.dərˈfʊt/noun
Beneath the feet or in a position where it is likely to be stepped on.
Did you know?The word preserves a very old Germanic habit of forming vivid compounds from ordinary body-position phrases, much like Old English underfōt.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*n̥dher
“Under, beneath, or below”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ped-
“Foot”
Old English
Old English
underfōt
“Under the foot or beneath the feet”
Middle English
Middle English
underfot
“Underfoot; beneath one’s feet”
14th Century
English
underfoot
“Beneath the feet; in a place where one may tread”
Modern English
English
underfoot
“Beneath the feet, or obstructing one’s movement”