upstream
playSimple Definition of upstream
-
: in the direction opposite to the flow in a stream, river, etc. : toward the source of a stream, river, etc.
Full Definition of upstream
1 : in the direction opposite to the flow of a stream
2 : in or to a position within the production stream closer to manufacturing processes <make most of its money upstream, selling cheap crude … to refineries — John Quirt>
1681
First Known Use of upstream
1681
UPSTREAM Defined for Kids
upstream
playDefinition of upstream for Students
: at or toward the beginning of a stream <She rowed upstream.>
Medical Dictionary
upstream
playMedical Definition of upstream
1: in a direction along a molecule of DNA or RNA opposite to that in which transcription and translation take place and toward the end having a phosphate group attached to the position labeled 5′ in the terminal nucleotide <… stretches of DNA upstream of genes—are known as promoters.—Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003>—compare downstream 1
2: toward the beginning of series of cellular processes : preceding a linked molecular event occurring in a sequence <It's equally important to focus on additional mechanisms that are upstream of amyloid formation and mechanisms downstream that are involved in the actual degenerative processes within neurons.—Marc Tessier-Lavigne, quoted in Science, 17 Sept. 2010>
Learn More about upstream
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up upstream? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!