Unearth (verb) — to dig up from the earth; to bring to light or discover something that was hidden, buried, or concealed.
Etymology
The word unearth is formed within English by derivation, combining the prefix un- (meaning "opposite of" or "reversal") with the verb earth (meaning "to bury in the ground"). It first appeared in the early 15th century as unerthen, meaning "to dig up (a body) from the earth, exhume." The prefix un- (from Proto-Germanic andi-, meaning "against" or "opposite") reverses the action of earth, which itself derives from the Old English eorþe ("ground, soil, dirt"), from Proto-Germanic ertho and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root er- ("earth, ground").
Definitions and Usage
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Literal meaning: To drive or draw from the earth; to dig up something buried in the ground.
- Example: "Archaeologists unearthed the remains of an ancient city."
- Example: "to unearth a fox or a badger" (from hunting terminology).
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Figurative/extended meaning: To uncover or find something hidden or concealed; to bring to light.
- Example: "to unearth a secret"
- Example: "Further search failed to unearth another person by that name."
Synonyms: dig up, exhume, excavate, uncover, disclose, reveal, bring to light, discover.
Related forms: unearthed (past tense/past participle), unearthing (present participle), unearths (third-person singular present).
Pronunciation: /ʌnˈɜː(ɹ)θ/ (un-URTH), rhyming with "earth."
