upland

up·land
U1P3L1A1N1D2
UK/ˈʌplənd/US/ˈəp-/

noun

The area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation.

“Near-synonyms: highland, upcountry”

Similar
highlandupcountryalpestrinesubalpinealpinemountainous
Opposite
lowlandcitytownconurbation
OriginMiddle English upland ← Old English ūpland →
Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

upland1

nounupland (plural uplands)

plural uplands

  1. The area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation.

    Near-synonyms: highland, upcountry

    Synonyms: highland, upcountry · Antonyms: lowland

  2. obsoleteThe country, as contrasted with the town.

    Antonyms: city, town, conurbation

adjectiveupland (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf, relating to, or situated in the uplands.

    the race of upland giants

    c. 1624, George Chapman, transl., Batrachomyomachia
    1 more example

    Sometimes with secure delight / The upland hamlets will invite,

    a. 1645, John Milton, L'Allegro

Upland2

proper noun
  1. A number of places in the United States:
    1. A city in San Bernardino County, California.
    2. A town in Jefferson township, Grant County, Indiana.
    3. An unincorporated community in Dickinson County, Kansas.
    4. A village in Franklin County, Nebraska.
    5. A borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
    6. A ghost town in Upton County, Texas.
    7. An unincorporated community in Mason County, West Virginia.
    8. An unincorporated community in McDowell County, West Virginia.
  2. A former rural locality in Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia, merged into Aramac in 2019.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation.

Similar
highlandupcountry
Opposite
lowland

nounThe country, as contrasted with the town.

Opposite
citytownconurbation

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveused of high or hilly country

Similar
highlandalpestrinesubalpinealpinemountainous
Opposite
lowland

nounelevated (e.g., mountainous) land

Similar
highland
Broader
natural elevationelevation
Also see
alpestrinealpinehigh countryhighlandhügellandmountainoussubalpineupcountry

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Englishūpland“the country”
  2. Middle Englishupland
  3. Englishupland

From Middle English upland, from Old English ūpland (“the country”); equivalent to up- + land. The word as an adjective developed in Middle English.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian възвишение
  • възвишение (văzvišenie)area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Esperanto altaĵaro
  • altaĵaroarea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Finnish ylänkö
  • ylänköarea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Irish ardtalamh, talamh ard
  • ardtalamharea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
  • talamh ardarea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Persian سردسیر, ییلاق
  • سردسیر (sardsir)area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
  • ییلاق (yeylāq)area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
  • تابستانگاه (tābestāngāh)area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Polish wysoczyzna
  • wysoczyznaarea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Russian возвы́шенность
  • возвы́шенность (vozvýšennostʹ)area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Scottish Gaelic mullach
  • mullacharea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Turkish yayla
  • yaylaarea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Ukrainian височина́
  • височина́ (vysočyná)area in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation
Vietnamese vùng cao
  • vùng caoarea in the interior of a country with a generally higher elevation

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Dunlap
Cite this entry
APA

upland. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upland

MLA

“upland.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upland. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “upland,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upland.

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