above

adverb

1. in, at, or to a higher place.
2. overhead, upstairs, or in the sky: My brother lives in the apartment above. A flock of birds circled above.
3. higher in rank, authority, or power: She was told to speak to the person above.
4. higher in quantity or number: books with 100 pages and above.
5. before or earlier, especially in a book or other piece of writing; foregoing: the remark quoted above.Compare below(def 6).
6. in or to heaven: gone to her eternal rest above.
7. Zoology. on the upper or dorsal side.
8. Theater. upstage.Compare below(def 9).
9. higher than zero on the temperature scale: The temperature dropped to ten above this morning.

preposition

10. in or to a higher place than; over: to fly above the clouds; the floor above ours.
11. more in quantity or number than; in excess of: all girls above 12 years of age; The weight is above a ton.
12. superior in rank, authority, or standing to: A captain is above a lieutenant.
13. not subject or liable to; not capable of (some undesirable action, thought, etc.): above suspicion; to be above bad behavior.
14. of too fine a character for: He is above such trickery.
15. rather than; in preference to: to favor one child above the other.
16. beyond, especially north of: six miles above Baltimore.
17. Theater. upstage of.

adjective

18. said, mentioned, or written above; foregoing: the above explanation.

noun

19. something that was said, mentioned, or written above: to refer to the above.
20. the person or persons previously indicated: The above will all stand trial.
21. heaven: truly a gift from above.
22. a higher authority: an order from above.

Idioms

23. above all, most important of all; principally: charity above all.

preposition

1. on top of or higher than; overthe sky above the earth
2. greater than in quantity or degreeabove average in weight
3. superior to or prior toto place honour above wealth
4. too honourable or high-minded forabove petty gossiping
5. too respected for; beyondabove suspicion; above reproach
6. too difficult to be understood bythe talk was above me
7. louder or higher than (other noise)I heard her call above the radio
8. in preference toI love you above all others
9. north ofwhich town lies just above London?
10. upstream from
11. above all most of all; especially
12. above and beyond in addition to
13. above oneself presumptuous or conceited

adverb

14. in or to a higher placethe sky above
15. 1. in a previous place (in something written)
    2. (in combination)the above-mentioned clause
16. higher in rank or position
17. in or concerned with heavenseek the things that are above

noun

18. the above something that is above or previously mentioned

adjective

19. mentioned or appearing in a previous place (in something written)

adv.

Old English abufan, earlier onbufan, from on (see on) + bufan “over,” compound of be “by” (see by) + ufan “over/high,” from Proto-Germanic *ufan-, *uban- (cf. Old Saxon, Old High German oban, German oben), from PIE root *upo (see up (adv.)). Meaning “in addition” first corded 1590s.

In addition to the idioms beginning with above

• above all
• above and beyond
• above suspicion
• above the law

also see:

• all (none) of the above
• cut above
• head and shoulders above
• over and above