atop

American  

[uh-top] / əˈtɒp /

adjective

1. on or at the top.

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preposition

1. on the top of.

   atop the flagpole.

atop British  

/ əˈtɒp /

adverb

1. on top; at the top

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preposition

1. on top of; at the top of

Etymology

Origin of atop

First recorded in 1650–60; a- ¹ + top ¹

Explanation

Use the adverb atop when something is on the top of something else. You could say, for example, "I'm standing atop of the chicken coop, getting ready to jump in that pile of leaves." The word atop is somewhat old fashioned, but it's still a good way to describe being at the very top of something. You might live atop of the highest hill in town, or enjoy looking out your window to watch birds land atop of the garage. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the word was spelled with a hyphen: a-top. It took its current form, atop, in the nineteenth century.

Example Sentences

He claims to have found a copy of “Lunch on a Beam,” also known as “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” at an Austrian department store in 1989 and recognized it from an old family album.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Atop the aerial ladder of a bright red fire engine, a firefighter wrangles a hose.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

Atop the bulb are the fronds, which are leafy and subtly anise-flavored.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2025

Atop that slope, according to the video, is a cluster of BLA fighters.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2025

Atop the pilothouse, Roy scooted forward as far as he dared, dangling both arms.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen