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upper

upper

488 1.0
Above something else, near the top
  • adjective
  • /ˈʌpər/
: superior
  • We secured the doors on the upper levels.
  • upper lip
  • upper left
  • upper and lower

No, I'm exercising my upper neck muscles.

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Examples

  • The next day, he sat at his table in the bare upper room for many hours.

  • The upper limb of the tree was filled with bright green leaves.

  • You have three figures in the upper temple scene.

  • Please follow me to the upper deck.

  • So now I'm outside on the upper level of the porch.

  • Nearly every Hispanic village in the upper Rio Grande region has a community gathering place.

    Academic text (2011)
  • If surgical options were limited only to tracheotomy, an upper airway examination would not be necessary.

    Academic text (1999)
  • He climbed to the upper floor to enjoy the view of the city.

  • She has a pain in her upper back after exercising.

Synonyms

topmost
vsupper
4 3.2

At the highest part of something that is above all other parts

is more general, meaning simply placed above other parts
uppermost
vsupper
3 4.7

At the very top

is used for things placed above but not necessarily highest
upmost
vsupper
2 4.4

Nearest to the top of something

is used when something is simply located above, not the absolute highest

Antonyms

458 1.0

Found under another thing, near the bottom

Idioms

Ability to stay calm and not show feelings in hard times

To keep an advantage or control over others

Compounds

upper hand
  • Informal
55 3.2

A position giving power or advantage over someone in a situation

42 4.3

Belonging to the richest and most powerful people in society

38 3.4

A social group with the most money and power

Having higher than average income, education, and social position among the middle class

18 4.6

A part of an organization that is at a higher position

13 3.4

A higher level on a ship or in a stadium where people sit

fixer-upper
  • Informal
12 4.5

A house or other home that needs repairs and is sold for a low price

12 2.3

The top surface of an object that faces up

9 3.2

The highest allowed amount or value of something

upper crust
  • Informal
6 6.8

A small group of the richest and most important people in society

The peninsula in the northwestern part of Michigan between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan

3 2.8

The top part of the jaw that holds the upper teeth

3 3.3

A sickness that affects the nose, throat, or sinuses

upper bound
  • Specialized
3 7.2

A number that is as big as or bigger than every number in a set

The top side of an object that you can touch or see

A person or family in the higher part of the lower social class

1 4.4

The southern part of Egypt from south of Cairo to the Sudan border

Upper Paleolithic
  • Specialized
1 9.8

The late part of the Stone Age when only modern humans lived, ending about 10,000 BC

A peninsula between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan with forests, lakes, and small towns

The highest seats in a theatre, far from the stage

1 4.1

The part of the breathing system that includes the nose, throat, and windpipe

A large letter that begins names and sentences

1 6.8

A higher bed on a train or ship

The bone at the top of the mouth that holds the upper teeth and joins the skull

upper mantle
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A layer of rock under Earth's crust that slowly flows

picker-upper
  • Informal
1 6.6

Something that makes you feel happier and more energetic

1 7.0

A person who washes dishes after a meal

maker-upper
  • Offensive
1 9.7

A person who tells lies to trick or amuse people

Upper Carboniferous
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A late part of Earth's history 310 to 280 million years ago with swamp forests that formed coal

filler-upper
  • Informal
1 8.4

A person who gives more drinks or a quick snack that makes you less hungry for a short time

A river in central England flowing through Stratford-on-Avon to join the River Severn

A river in central England that flows through Stratford-on-Avon and joins the River Severn

upper cannon
  • Archaic
9.9

A piece of metal armor that covers the upper arm above the elbow

9.9

A time about 310 to 280 million years ago with warm swampy land where much coal formed

A former administrative region in northern France covering the northeast of Normandy

How High

top
∞ 1.0
upper
488 1.0
middle
∞ 1.0
lower
458 1.0
low
273 1.0

Surface Forms

upper positive

Morphology

upper = (transparent) = up + er

Standard adjectival formation from 'up' + '-er' yielding 'upper' meaning 'situated above'. [Postprocessing: moved 'up' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Upper comes from the old English word up meaning 'above'. If something is upper, it is located toward the top or above another thing, which is exactly what the word says.