# upper

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈʌpə/ · frequency rank #1,972

## Definitions
1. At a higher level, rank or position.
2. Situated on higher ground, further inland, or more northerly.
3. Younger, more recent.
4. Of or pertaining to a secondary school.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **user** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/upper-vs-user)
- **upset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/upper-vs-upset)
- **utter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/upper-vs-utter)
- **usher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/upper-vs-usher)
- **uppers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/upper-vs-uppers)
- **under** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/under-vs-upper)
- **upped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/upped-vs-upper)
- **ulcer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ulcer-vs-upper)

## Common misspellings (5)
`puper`, `upepr`, `uper`, `upperr`, `uppre`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/upper