understory
noun
un·der·sto·ry
ˈən-dər-ˌstȯr-ē 
1
: an underlying layer of vegetation
specifically
: the vegetative layer and especially the trees and shrubs between the forest canopy and the ground cover
2
: the plants that form the understory
Examples of understory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Black gums and sycamores peek out alongside winding forest roads in southern Indiana while beech and maple trees shoot up in the understory of older, taller oaks.
—
Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Westshore and Pillsbury understory near Lake Pillsbury in Lake County.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Every red and blue photon gets sucked into a plant for photosynthesis, just the green ones ricocheting through the understory to form a kind of therapeutic light bath.
—Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Every year in the early fall, along the riverbanks and ravines of the Southeast coast, pawpaws begin to show up in the understory.
—Stephanie Ganz, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understory
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Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Westshore and Pillsbury understory near Lake Pillsbury in Lake County.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Every red and blue photon gets sucked into a plant for photosynthesis, just the green ones ricocheting through the understory to form a kind of therapeutic light bath.
—Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Every year in the early fall, along the riverbanks and ravines of the Southeast coast, pawpaws begin to show up in the understory.
—Stephanie Ganz, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understory
Cite this Entry
“Understory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understory. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
understory
noun
un·der·sto·ry
ˈən-dər-ˌstōr-ē
-ˌstȯr-
: the layer of plants and especially the trees and shrubs between the forest canopy and the ground cover
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