upstream

adverb

1. toward or in the higher part of a stream; against the current.

adjective

2. directed upstream; situated upstream: an upstream journey; an upstream hideout.
3. Commerce. of or relating to the early stages in the operations of a business or industry, as exploration and production in the oil business (opposed to downstream).
4. against or opposite to the direction of transcription, translation, or synthesis of a DNA, RNA, or protein molecule.

adverb, adjective

1. in or towards the higher part of a stream; against the current
2. (in the oil industry) of or for any of the stages prior to oil production, such as exploration or researchCompare downstream (def. 2)

adj.

1680s, from up– + stream. In common use from c.1890.