Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

uppity

/ˈʌpəti/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.48 in modern English

Syllables: up-pi-ty
IPA: /ˈʌpəti/

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

3

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Presumptuous, above oneself, self-important; arrogant, snobbish, haughty.

adj

Exceeding one's station or position, assuming prerogatives to which one is not entitled.

Example Sentences

""Hit wuz wunner dese yer uppity little Jack Sparrers, I speck," said the old man; "dey wuz allers bodder'n' longer udder fokes's bizness"
"And the Yankees are very upset because so many uppity darkies have been killed recently."
"The Association was openly committed to "restoring the historical balance of power intended by our Founders" between the nobility and the uppity commoners […]"

Etymology

From earlier uppedy, equivalent to up + -ed + -y; compare blackity, biggity, and hippity (and possibly also persnickety, pernickety). First attested around 1880 in Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris to describe Jack Sparrer (Jack Sparrow), who tattled on Br'er Rabbit (see quotations below). Compare uppish.

Inflected Forms

uppitier (comparative) uppitiest (superlative) uppedy (alternative) uppety (alternative)

Derived Forms

uppitiness uppityness

Phrases

know one's place

Frequently Paired Words

know one's place

Synonyms

airy arrogant chesty authoritarian biggity big-headed blustery turgescent boastful lordly bombastic buggish

Questions

How do you pronounce uppity?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈʌpəti/.
What does uppity mean?: Presumptuous, above oneself, self-important; arrogant, snobbish, haughty.
Where does uppity come from?: From earlier uppedy, equivalent to up + -ed + -y; compare blackity, biggity, and hippity (and possibly also persnickety, pernickety). First attested around 1880 in Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris to describe Jack Sparrer (Jack Sparrow), who tattled on Br'er Rabbit (see quotations below). Compare uppish.

How to pronounce uppity

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