unterirdisch
Translation
underground, subterranean, abysmal, terrible
Examples
Die U-Bahn fährt unterirdisch.
The subway runs underground.
Es gibt ein unterirdisches Tunnelsystem.
There is an underground tunnel system.
Seine Leistung war einfach unterirdisch.
His performance was simply abysmal.
Grammar Patterns
as an adverb: underground The train runs underground.
as an attributive adjective: an underground ... An underground passage led to the cellar.
as a predicative adjective: sth. is abysmal His excuse was abysmal.
Similar Words
Literal: unter der Erde; Figurative: Synonyms: schlecht, miserabel; Antonyms: hervorragend, exzellent
Etymology
Composed of 'unter-' (under) and 'irdisch' (earthly), which comes from 'Erde' (earth). So, literally 'under-earthly'.
Memory Tips
Connect the literal meaning, 'under the earth', to the figurative one: something so bad it's 'the pits' or deserves to be buried.