unterschreiben

German

Etymology

From Middle High German underschrīben, originally with first-syllable stress (pronunciation 2). Analyzable as unter (“under”) +‎ schreiben (“write”). Calque of Latin subscribere.

Pronunciation 1

• IPA^(key): /ˌʊntɐˈʃʁaɪ̯bən/, [ˌʔʊntɐˈʃʁaɪ̯bən], [-ˈʃʁaɪ̯bm̩]
• Hyphenation: un‧ter‧schrei‧ben

• Audio (Germany):

  (file)

Verb

1. (transitive or intransitive) to sign (write one’s signature)

   Unterschreiben Sie bitte auf der punktierten Linie.

   Please sign on the dotted line.

Related terms

• Unterschrift

Synonyms

• signieren
• unterzeichnen

Pronunciation 2

• IPA^(key): /ˈʊntɐˌʃʁaɪ̯bən/, [ˈʔʊntɐˌʃʁaɪ̯bən], [-ˌʃʁaɪ̯bm̩]
• Hyphenation: un‧ter‧schrei‧ben

Verb

1. (obsolete) to sign
2. (rather rare) to write under or below something

   Um das Iota der langen Diphthonge in einer griechischen Handschrift hinzuzufügen, war man gezwungen, es unterzuschreiben.

   In order to add the iota of the long diphthongs in a Greek manuscript, one was constrained to write it below [the line].

Usage notes

• The form in which sense 2 most commonly occurs is the past participle, untergeschrieben.

Derived terms

• untergeschriebenes Iota

See also

• Iota subscriptum

Further reading

• “unterschreiben” in Duden online