English

Etymology

Old English above, aboven, abuffe, AngloSaxon abufon; an (or on) on + be by + ufan upward; cf. Gothic uf under. See Over.

Pronunciation

• ə-bŭv', /əˈbʌv/, /@"bVv/

  Rhymes: -ʌv

Preposition

above

1. In or to a higher place; higher than; on or over the upper surface; over; -- opposed to below or beneath.

   Quotations

   • Fowl that may fly above the earth. - Genesis 2:20

2. Figuratively, higher than; superior to in any respect; surpassing ; beyond; higher in measure or degree than; as, things above comprehension; above mean actions; conduct above reproach.

   Quotations

   • Thy worth ... is actions above my gifts. - Marlowe
   • I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun. - Acts 36:13

3. Surpassing in number or quantity; more than; as, above a hundred. (Passing into the adverbial sense. (See adverb #4 below

Derived terms

• above all , before every other consideration; chiefly; in preference to other things.
• Over and above , prep. or adverb , besides; in addition to.

Adverb

above

1. In a higher place; overhead ; into or from heaven; as, the clouds above.
2. Earlier in order; higher in the same page; hence, in a foregoing page.

   Quotations

   • That was said above. - Dryden

3. Higher in rank or power; as, he appealed to the court above.
4. More than; as, above five hundred were present.

Adjective

above

1. Above is often used elliptically as an adjective by omitting the word mentioned, quoted, or the like; as, the above observations, the above reference, the above articles.

Noun

above

1. An indefinite higher place

   Quotations

   • The waters that come down from above. - Joshua 3:13

Derived terms

"Above" is also used as the first part of a compound in the sense of before, previously; as, above-cited, above- described, above-mentioned , above-named, abovesaid, abovespecified, above-written , above-given .

Translations

Above, Preposition

• French: Au-dessus de
• German: über
• Hebrew: על
• Interlingua: super
• Italian: sopra
• Latin: super
• Portuguese: acima
• Spanish: sobre
• Swedish: över (1), ovan (2)

Above all, Prepositional Phrase

• French: surtout
• German: vor allem
• Hebrew: קודם כל
• Interlingua: super toto
• Italian: soprattutto
• Portuguese: sobretudo
• Spanish: sobretodo

Above mentioned, Phrase

• French: Mentionné ci-dessus
• German: Obenerwähnt
• Hebrew: כתוב לעיל
• Interlingua: Jam mentionate
• Italian: Suddetto
• Portuguese: Acima mencionado
• Spanish: Antedicho
• Swedish: ovan (1,2), tidigare (2), högre (3), mer än (4)

Above par, Adverb

• French: Pair
• German: Gleichheit
• Interlingua: Super le par
• Italian: Sopra par (golf)
• Portuguese: Par
• Spanish: Igualdad
  

Above (on top, upwards, up) Adverb

• French: Sur, Vers le haut de
• German: auf,Herauf
• Hebrew: על
• Interlingua: In alto de
• Italian: Su
• Portuguese: Acima de
• Spanish: Encima de

Above (over) Preposition

• French: Au-dessus de
• German: über
• Interlingua: Super supra
• Italian: Sopra
• Portuguese: Sobre
• Spanish: Sobre
• Swedish: ovan