uppity

English

Etymology

Fanciful extension of up.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈʌpəti/

Adjective

uppity (comparative uppitier, superlative uppitiest)

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

   • I think you are one very uppity young man.
   • 1993, David Weber, On Basilisk Station, edition Paperback, Sci-Fi, ISBN 0671721631, page 141:

     The Association was openly committed to "restoring the historical balance of power intended by our Founders" between the nobility and the uppity commoners …

Usage notes

• Be careful about using this in interracial situations: white people in the southern US used this to describe black people whom they considered not submissive and subservient enough.

Translations

Presumptuous, above oneself

• Dutch: arrogant (nl), hooghartig (nl)
• Finnish: ylimielinen (fi), koppava (fi)
• French: arrogant (fr)

• Norwegian: oppesen (no)
• Swedish: fisförnäm (sv), mallig (sv), snorkig (sv), dryg (sv), näsvis (sv), högfärdig (sv), snobbig (sv), arrogant (sv), högmodig (sv), uppnosig (sv)