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
Upper
: being a later epoch or series of the period or system named
Upper Cretaceous
Upper Paleolithic
4
: northern
upper Manhattan
: one that is upper: such as
a
: the parts of a shoe or boot above the sole
b
: an upper tooth or denture
c
: an upper berth
see also:
1
: a stimulant drug
especially
: amphetamine
2
: something that induces a state of good feeling or exhilaration
Cite this Entry
“Upper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
