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Added 9 October 2026

above

/əˈbʌv/ preposition

In Latin: super, suprā Wiktionary

preposition Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about above at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Physically over; on top of; worn on top of, said of clothing. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
He always put his coat on above his sweater.
In or to a higher place; higher than; on or over the upper surface.
Farther north than.
Idaho is above Utah.

adverb

Directly overhead; vertically on top of.
Higher in the same page; earlier in the order as far as writing products go.
Into or from heaven; in the sky.
He’s in a better place now, floating free as the clouds above.

adjective

Of heaven; heavenly.
Being located higher on the same page or on a preceding page.

noun

Something, especially a person's name in legal documents, that appears higher on the same page or on a preceding page. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Higher authority.
Betterment, raised status or condition.

Origin

From Middle English above, aboven, abuven, from Old English ābufan, onbufan, from on (“on”) + bufan (“over”), (akin to Icelandic ofan (“from above”), Middle Dutch bōven, Old Frisian bova, Middle High German bobene) from bī (“by”) + ufan (“over”); also cognate with Danish oven, Dutch boven, German oben, Swedish ovan, Old Saxon oƀan, Old High German obana. The preposition, the adjective, and the noun derive from the adverb.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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