upstairs

Etymology

up +‎ stair +‎ -s

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌʌpˈstɛɹz/, /ˈʌpˌstɛɹz/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌʌpˈstɛəz/, /ˈʌpˌstɛəz/
• Hyphenation: up‧stairs

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

upstairs (comparative further upstairs, superlative furthest upstairs)

1. Located on a higher floor or level of a building.

   They can sleep in the upstairs bedroom.

2. (baseball, informal) Pertaining to a pitched ball that is high, and usually outside the strike zone.

   That fastball was upstairs for a ball.

Adverb

upstairs (comparative further upstairs, superlative furthest upstairs)

1. Up the stairs; on a higher floor or level.

   I'll take my shoes and put them away the next time I go upstairs.

   I hate the people who live upstairs, and I especially hate their piano.

   • 1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d’Urbervilles , chapter IV

     In a large bedroom upstairs, the window of which was thickly curtained with a great woollen shawl lately discarded by the landlady, Mrs Rolliver, were gathered on this evening nearly a dozen persons.

2. (informal) In the brain or mind.

   After Joe did a hula dance on the kitchen table, his friends wondered if he didn't have a lot going on upstairs.

3. (informal) In heaven, especially with regard to where a deity might be found.

Noun

upstairs (plural upstairs)

1. An upper storey.