underwrite

English

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underwrite

/ˈʌndəɹaɪt/
/ʌndəˈɹaɪt/

Where it comes from

From Middle English underwriten, from Old English underwrītan (“to write at the foot of, write under, subscribe”). Compare Dutch onderschrijven (“to endorse”), German unterschreiben (“to sign; endorse”), Danish underskrive (“to sign; endorse”). By surface analysis, under- + write.

verb underwrites · underwriting · underwrote · underwrit · underwritten

transitive To write below or under; subscribe.
intransitive, obsolete, transitive To subscribe (a document, policy etc.) with one's name.
transitive To sign; to put one's name to.
transitive To agree to pay by signing one's name; subscribe.
transitive Specifically, to assume financial responsibility for something, and guarantee it against failure. Dr. Beeching's obvious intent is that if Scottish—and similarly unprofitable English and Welsh—railways are to be maintained, it must be done by an unconcealed subsidy; he is determined that the railways shall no longer be preoccupied with—and derided for—immense deficits which include the burden of
intransitive To act as an underwriter. The broker who procures the insurance […]ought not, by underwriting the policy, to deprive the parties of his unbiased testimony.
transitive To support, lend support to, guarantee the basis of.
obsolete, transitive To submit to; put up with. Diſguiſe the holy ſtrength of their command: / And vnder write in an obſeruing kinde

Translations

Every language

verb to assume financial responsibility for something

Español	suscribir
Deutsch	unterschreiben

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MLA

"underwrite." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/underwrite. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

underwrite. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/underwrite

Chicago

"underwrite." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/underwrite.

BibTeX

@misc{underwrite_2026,
  title = {underwrite},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/underwrite},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}