Experiences or is subjected to something, especially a change or process.
Old English compound of 'under-' (meaning 'beneath' or 'subject to') and 'goan' (to go), literally meaning 'to go under.' The meaning shifted from physical movement to experiencing abstract processes.
The 'under' in 'undergo' doesn't just mean physically going under—it means being subjected to something, which is why surgery 'undergoes' makes sense: you're putting yourself in a vulnerable position beneath the doctor's care.
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