topside

T1O1P3S1I1D2E1
US/ˈtɑp.saɪd/

noun

The side or part of something that is at the top.

UncommonScrabble 10

Meanings

nountopside (plural topsides)

plural topsides

  1. The side or part of something that is at the top.

    The rotor underside also exhibits a higher coefficient of microscale friction than the rotor topside and stator, as shown in Table 50.6.

    2006, Bharat Bhushan, editor, Handbook of Nanotechnology, volume 2, Springer, page 1617
    4 more examples

    Yet the topside exerts significant control over the lower ionosphere and hence also has an indirect effect on long-range radio communications.

    1964 March 12, C. D. Watkins, “Reaching the upper ionosphere by radar”, in New Scientist, page 686

    These sounders have produced a wealth of information not only about the distribution of electrons in the topside but also about the response of plasma when the transmitter is embedded in it.

    1990, Kenneth Davies, Ionospheric Radio, page 261

    The composite filter system includes topside and backside light path with different filter[s]. The topside image of [the] weld pool is formed by the illumination from arc emission in the spectral window of 100-200 nm.

    2008, Shan-Ben Chen, Jing Wu, Intelligentized Methodology for Arc Welding Dynamical Processes, Springer, page 40

    Place one cake layer on a serving plate, topside down; spread evenly with the pineapple filling. Top with the second cake layer, topside up.

    2008, Carol Fenster, 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, page 480
  2. nauticalThe surface of a ship’s hull that is above the water line.

    We believe that the failure of Sun Ship to submit a bid for topside work had no effect on the price, quality, quantity or time of performance of any contract to be awarded for the combination of drydock and topside work covered in the firm′s bid for Lot III.

    1978, US General Accounting Office, Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States, number 58, page 793
  3. businessThe structure and assembly of modules above the jacket or gravity base sub structure.

    Future plans are for tripod designs in up to 90m of water, supporting lightweight topsides and braced mono towers for marginal field developments.

    1997, P. J. Dowling, B. A. Burgan, “Steel structures in the new millennium”, in P. K. K. Lee, editor, Structures in the New Millennium, page 11
  4. businessThe structure and assembly of modules on the deck of any floating installation.
  5. AustraliaNew ZealandUKThe outer side of a round of beef.

    Slow roasting is better for lean or not so tender cuts such as topside or whole bolar blade, which are not suitable to be cooked very pink.

    2008, Leanne Kitchen, The Butcher, Murdoch Books, page 27
    2 more examples

    To detach the round bone, the biggest muscle of the round, the topside, must first be removed. This is done by cutting down to the round bone in a layer of connective tissue which separates the topside from the nuggle.

    2004, Z. Farah, A. Fischer, editors, Milk and Meat from the Camel: Handbook on Products and Processing, page 116

    It is removed from its attachment to the silverside along the natural seam, and from the topside by a straight cut along the line of the femur bone.

    2012, Graham Dodgshun, Michel Peters, David O′Dea, Cookery for the Hospitality Industry, 6th edition, Cambridge University Press, page 384
adjectivetopside (not comparable)
  1. not comparablenauticalAbovedeck, such as on the weather deck or bridge.
adverbtopside (not comparable)
  1. not comparablenauticalAbovedeck, such as on the weather deck or bridge.
    1 more example

    Dennis Reynolds: What do you mean what do we need a mattress for? Why in the hell do you think we just spent all that money on a boat? The whole purpose of buying the boat in the first place was to get the ladies nice and tipsy topside so we can take 'em to a nice comfortable place below deck and, you know, they can't refuse, because of the implication. Mac: Oh, uh... okay. You had me going there for the first part, the second half kinda threw me. Dennis Reynolds: Well dude, dude, think about it: she's out in the middle of nowhere with some dude she barely knows. You know, she looks around and what does she see? Nothin' but open ocean. "Ahh, there's nowhere for me to run. What am I gonna do, say 'no'?" Mac: Okay. That... that seems really dark.

    2010 September 30, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, directed by Randall Einhorn, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, season 6, episode 3 (The Gang Buys a Boat) (Black Comedy), spoken by Dennis Reynolds and Mac (Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney)

Origin

  1. Englishtop
  2. Proto-Indo-European*seh₁-
  3. Proto-Germanic*sīdaz
  4. Proto-Germanic*sīdǭ
  5. Old Englishsīde
  6. Middle Englishside
  7. Englishside
  8. Englishtopside

From top + side.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish parras, ylärunko
  • parrassurface of a ship's hull that is above the water line
  • ylärunkosurface of a ship's hull that is above the water line
French œuvres mortes
  • œuvres mortessurface of a ship's hull that is above the water line

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

topside. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/topside

MLA

“topside.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/topside. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “topside,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/topside.

Source: topside on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.