upcycle

[ uhp-sahy-kuhl ]

verb (used with object)

, up·cy·cled, up·cy·cling.

1. to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original: Compare downcycle ( def 2 ).

   I upcycled a stained tablecloth into curtains.

verb (used without object)

, up·cy·cled, up·cy·cling.

1. to process goods or material so as to produce something that is often better than the original:

   Several new companies whose purpose is to upcycle have sprung up recently.

noun

1. Economics. a period or cycle during which business activity or profitability is at a high point:

   The whole industry has entered an upcycle.

Other Words From

• up·cy·cler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of upcycle¹

First recorded in 1990–95; up + (re)cycle