upper
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.located in a higher place or at a higher level.
adj.situated in a higher physical position or at a superior level relative to something else.
Simple“The bedrooms are on the upper floor of the house.”
In context“The upper branches of the oak tree were the first to catch the golden light of the rising sun.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.having a higher rank or status in a group or company.
adj.denoting a higher rank, status, or position within a social or professional hierarchy.
Simple“She was promoted to an upper management position last month.”
In context“Decisions regarding the merger were restricted to upper management to prevent leaks to the press.”
Antonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.describing a part of a river or land that is further from the sea or further north.
adj.referring to a region that is further inland, at a higher elevation, or more northerly within a specific territory.
Simple“They spent their holiday exploring the upper reaches of the Amazon river.”
In context“The upper valley remains sparsely populated due to the harsh winters and difficult terrain.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a more recent period of time in the Earth's history.
adj.designating a later or more recent division of a geological period or archaeological stage.
Simple“Scientists found new fossils from the Upper Cretaceous period.”
In context“The Upper Palaeolithic saw a significant increase in the complexity of stone tool technology and artistic expression.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the top part of a shoe that covers the foot.
n.the part of a shoe or boot above the sole.
Simple“The leather uppers of these boots are very soft and comfortable.”
In context“The cobbler explained that while the soles were worn out, the suede uppers were still in excellent condition.”
Antonyms - 06 C1 Advanced
n.a drug that makes you feel very energetic and awake.
n.a stimulant drug, such as an amphetamine, that increases physiological or nervous activity.
Simple“He started taking uppers to stay awake during the long night shifts.”
In context“The patient admitted to a history of using uppers to cope with the demanding schedule of the music industry.”
Teacher's tipThis is a common slang term; in formal or medical contexts, use 'stimulant'.
Usage upper hand · upper stage
“Pauling’s recommendation for good health, at around 1,000–2,000mg a day, is around the upper limit of what’s now considered safe to consume.”
“Much as the choice of each word could send the drama spinning in a new direction, the slightest physical behaviour may lose each the upper hand.”
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *upó Proto-Germanic *ub Proto-Germanic *upp Proto-West Germanic *upp Old English upp Middle English up Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Germanic *-izô Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō Proto-Germanic *-ōzô Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō Old English -ra Middle English -er Middle English upper English upper Inherited from Middle English upper. By surface analysis, up + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.