low-lying

UK: ˌləʊ ˈlaɪ.ɪŋ | US: ˌloʊ ˈlaɪ.ɪŋ

Definition

  1. adj. situated or occurring close to the ground or sea level

  2. adj. (figuratively) of lesser importance or prominence

Structure
low <not high>lying <positioned>
Etymology

The compound "low-lying" combines "low" (Old English hlōw, meaning "not elevated") with the present participle "lying" (Old English licgan, "to be positioned"). The term emerged in the 16th century to describe physical geography (e.g., land near sea level) and later extended metaphorically to denote insignificance. The hyphen preserves the semantic unity of the two roots while clarifying their combined meaning.

Examples

  1. Flooding is common in low-lying coastal areas during storms.

  2. The report highlighted low-lying issues often overlooked in policy debates.

  3. Farmers avoid planting crops in low-lying fields prone to waterlogging.

  4. The city built barriers to protect its low-lying neighborhoods.

  5. Her contributions were low-lying but essential to the project’s success.