atop
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
prep.on the very top of something.
prep.positioned on the highest point or surface of an object. Functions as a preposition taking a noun phrase object.
Simple“A small gold bird sat atop the wedding cake.”
In context“The ancient fortress sat atop a jagged limestone cliff, overlooking the valley where the two rivers met.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adv.at or to the top of something.
adv.at, on, or to the highest part. Used as an adverbial modifier without a following noun phrase.
Simple“The mountain was steep, but the view from atop was beautiful.”
In context“The hikers climbed for hours until they finally stood atop, gazing at the clouds drifting below the summit.”
“Unlike a traditional roof made of asphalt, metal or tiles, a green roof is made up of layers, including insulation, waterproofing and drainage, that allow plants to grow atop the building.”
“Unlike a traditional roof made of asphalt, metal or tiles, a green roof is made up of layers, including insulation, water proofing and drainage, that allow plants to grow atop the building.”
From a- (“on”) + top.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.