upon

u-pon · preposition

imported

Definitions

preposition

  1. 1.

    On (used in formal or literary contexts).

  2. 2.

    Immediately after; as soon as.

  3. 3.

    Attacking or affecting.

  4. 4.

    Based on; depending on.

  5. 5.

    Used to indicate accumulation or repetition.

Related words

Antonyms: beneath, under
See also: above, on, onto
Synonyms: on, on top of

Etymology

From Middle English "upon," a combination of "up" + "on." It developed as a more emphatic or formal variant of "on." The word gained literary and formal status in Modern English while "on" remained the standard everyday form.