Standard Lemma guide

upstream

adj · adv · noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʌpˈstɹiːm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːm
  • CMU ARPABET: AH1 P S T R IY1 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In a direction against the flow of a current or stream of fluid (typically water); upriver.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • Input entry is upstream of input validation in the runtime process.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

Involving exploration and pre-production rather than refining and selling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Qualifier: oil industry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

In the direction from the client to the server.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Topics: computer, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, networking, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

Maintained, owned, or associated with the original developers of the given software; in contrast to a modified version downstream.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software

Examples

  • The outage was caused by an upstream error in a payments library.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Occurring earlier than something else; (also, usually, especially) being an influence on something else; causing a consequence for something else.

Towards the leading end (5′ end) of a DNA molecule.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adv

Meaning 7

Against the current.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Part of the river towards the upstream direction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

The original developers or maintainers of software.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: open-source software

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To stream upward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To have (a software library, patch, etc.) accepted by the original developers of the related software, so that they maintain and distribute it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Qualifier: open-source software

Examples

  • I'd be more than happy to upstream your patch.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective

Meaning 12

in the direction against a stream's current

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: downstream

13

adverb

Meaning 13

toward the source or against the current

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: upriver

Antonyms: downstream

History

Etymology

From up- + stream.

Across languages

Translations

56 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Ahtna: naeʼ — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Australian Kriol: airrap — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Bengali: উজানে (ujane) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Central Bikol: iraya — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Bulgarian: срещу течението (sreštu tečenieto) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Burmese: ရေဆန် (rehcan) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Catalan: contra corrent — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Chinese Cantonese: 上游 (soeng6 jau4) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Hakka Chinese: 上游 (song-yù) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Chinese Mandarin: 上游 (shàngyóu) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Danish: opstrøms — in a direction opposite to flow
  • French: à contre-courant — in a direction opposite to flow
  • French: à contre-mont — in a direction opposite to flow
  • German: stromaufwärts — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Hindi: ऊपर को (ūpar ko) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Indonesian: hulu — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Irish: in aghaidh srutha — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Japanese: 川上 (kawakami) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Malay: hulu — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Māori: whakarunga — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Polish: pod prąd — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Romanian: din amonte — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Russian: вверх по течению (vverkh po techeniyu) — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Spanish: aguas arriba — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Spanish: a contracorriente — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Spanish: río arriba — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Turkish: akıntıya karşı — in a direction opposite to flow
  • Danish: opstrøms — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • French: en amont — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • Hungarian: gén előtt — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • Hungarian: 5’ irányban — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • Italian: a monte — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • Portuguese: à montante — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • Spanish: corriente arriba — Biology : towards the 5' end of a DNA molecule
  • Dutch: stroomopwaarts — upwards
  • French: amont — upwards
  • French: montant — upwards
  • Italian: a monte — upwards
  • Portuguese: montante — upwards
  • Danish: opstrøms — against the flow
  • Dutch: stroomopwaarts — against the flow
  • German: flussaufwärts — against the flow
  • Japanese: 川上 (kawakami) — against the flow
  • Latin: flūmine adversō — against the flow
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oppstrøms — against the flow
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: oppstraums — against the flow
  • Polish: pod prąd — against the flow
  • Portuguese: montante — against the flow
  • Romanian: în amonte — against the flow
  • Romanian: în contracurent — against the flow
  • Scottish Gaelic: ris an t-sruth — against the flow
  • Serbo-Croatian: у̀зводно — against the flow
  • Serbo-Croatian: ùzvodno — against the flow
  • Spanish: a contracorriente — against the flow
  • Spanish: río arriba — against the flow
  • Swedish: uppströms — against the flow
Real reading context

upstream in complete knowledge articles

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