upper

¹up·per

adjective \ˈə-pər\

Definition of UPPER

1

a : higher in physical position, rank, or order <the upper lip> <upper management>

b : farther inland <the upper Mississippi>

2

: constituting the branch of a bicameral legislature that is usually smaller and more restricted in membership and possesses greater traditional prestige than the lower house

3

a : constituting a stratum relatively near the earth's surface

b capitalized : being a later epoch or series of the period or system named <Upper Cretaceous> <Upper Paleolithic>

4

: northern <upper Manhattan>

Examples of UPPER

1. upper and lower front teeth
2. the wing's upper and lower surfaces
3. the ship's upper and lower decks
4. Who will sleep on the upper berth?
5. The upper stories are occupied by offices.
6. the upper layer of the Earth's crust
7. temperatures in the mid to upper 20s
8. Write your name on the upper left-hand corner of the page.
9. relief of upper back pain
10. the mountain's upper and lower slopes

Origin of UPPER

Middle English, comparative of ²up

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with UPPER

crupper, scupper, supper

²upper

noun

Definition of UPPER

: one that is upper: as

a : the parts of a shoe or boot above the sole

b : an upper tooth or denture

c : an upper berth

— on one's uppers

: in straitened circumstances : destitute

First Known Use of UPPER

1789

Rhymes with UPPER

scupper

³upper

noun

Definition of UPPER

1

: a stimulant drug; especially : amphetamine

2

: something that induces a state of good feeling or exhilaration

Origin of UPPER

up + ²-er

First Known Use: circa 1968