down under

prepositional phrase

In Australia.

“Surfing is a popular sport down under.”

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Meanings

prepositional phrase

alternative Down Under

  1. idiomaticIn Australia.

    Surfing is a popular sport down under.

  2. idiomaticInto Australia; to Australia.

    We traveled down under for our holiday.

    1 more example

    Thank you Boris and I want to thank that fella down under. Thank you very much, pal; appreciate it Mr. Prime Minister.

    2021 September 15, Joe Biden, White House
  3. By extension, anywhere, or to anywhere, south of the Equator
  4. euphemisticrareHell; in Hell.
noundown under (uncountable)

alternative Down Under

  1. euphemisticslanguncountableThe genitalia; the groin area.

Origin

Refers to the fact that the Australian continent lies south of, colloquially thought of as 'below' or 'under', the equator.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish Australiassa
  • Australiassain Australia
Russian в Австра́лии, в Австра́лию
  • в Австра́лии (v Avstrálii)in Australia
  • в Австра́лию (v Avstráliju)to Australia
Cite this entry
APA

down under. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/down%20under

MLA

“down under.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/down%20under. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “down under,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/down%20under.

Source: down under on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.