Feminine

Untiefe

Meaning

Concepts

(feminine) shallows; shoal; shallow depth
(feminine, figuratively) abyss; precarious depth

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈʊnˌtiːfə/

Cognate with Dutch

Inherited from Old High German

Inherited from Middle High German

In summary

Formally un- (“un-”) + Tiefe (“depth”). The nautical sense “shallows” is chiefly from Middle Low German undēpe (compare Dutch ondiepte (“shallows”)). It is also attested in Old High German untiufī, but seemingly not in Middle High German. In the sense “abyss”, the prefix un- takes the meaning “inconceivable” as, for example, in Unding (“absurdity, deformity”). It is first attested in Middle High German intiefe (“something inscrutable”).