1
: a tall tropical Asian tree (Antiaris toxicaria) of the mulberry family with a latex that contains poisonous glycosides used as an arrow poison
also
: a poisonous concentrate of the juice or latex of a upas
2
: a poisonous or harmful influence or institution
Examples of upas in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyoncé is who gets the money if ticket prices move upas tic kets go in sale in response to high demand.
—
Eric Fuller, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
The deadly upas, root and branch, leaf and fibre, body and sap, must be utterly destroyed.
—Frederick Douglass, The Atlantic, 16 Aug. 2017
Eric Fuller, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
The deadly upas, root and branch, leaf and fibre, body and sap, must be utterly destroyed.
—Frederick Douglass, The Atlantic, 16 Aug. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Indonesian Malay pohon upas poison tree
First Known Use
1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near upas
Cite this Entry
“Upas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upas. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
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