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upper

upper

495 1.0
Above something else, near the top
  • adjective
  • /ˈʌpər/
translation icon : 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

uppermost
vsupper
8 4.7

At the very top

is used for things placed above but not necessarily highest
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
upmost
vsupper
1 4.4

Nearest to the top of something

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

Antonyms

102 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
54 3.2

A position giving power or advantage over someone in a situation

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

15 3.4

A social group with the most money and power

11 4.3

Belonging to the richest and most powerful people in society

fixer-upper
  • Informal
11 4.5

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

9 3.4

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

7 3.2

The highest allowed amount or value of something

upper crust
  • Informal
5 6.8

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

4 4.6

A part of an organization that is at a higher position

upper bound
  • Specialized
3 7.2

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

3 3.3

A sickness that affects the nose, throat, or sinuses

2 2.8

The top part of the jaw that holds the upper teeth

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

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

Upper Paleolithic
  • Specialized
1 9.8

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

picker-upper
  • Informal
1 6.6

Something that makes you feel happier and more energetic

The highest seats in a theatre, far from the stage

1 6.8

A higher bed on a train or ship

1 4.4

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

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

1 4.1

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

A large letter that begins names and sentences

filler-upper
  • Informal
8.4

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

maker-upper
  • Offensive
9.7

A person who tells lies to trick or amuse people

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

Upper Carboniferous
  • Specialized
9.9

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

9.9

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

upper mantle
  • Specialized
6.7

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

The top surface of an object that faces up

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

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

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

7.0

A person who washes dishes after a meal

How High

top
1.0
upper
495 1.0
middle
1.0
lower
102 1.0
low
22 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.