PoliticsSeptember 2, 2026
undergirded
UN-der-ger-ded
Definition
Provided the essential foundation, support, or underlying basis for something to exist or develop.
Etymology
The word is a combination of the Old English 'under' and 'gird' (to encircle or prepare). It entered the language as a literal term for supporting a structure from below before taking on its metaphorical sense of providing a base for ideas or phenomena.
In the news
The article uses the term to identify the two primary underlying factors that have caused the current crisis of legitimacy in liberal democracies. It highlights how these root causes support the ongoing decline in institutional trust.
The case for ‘working-class liberalism’
Read the full article ↗Prospect Magazine