uppity

[uhp-i-tee]

See more synonyms for uppity on Thesaurus.com

adjective Informal.

affecting an attitude of inflated self-esteem; haughty; snobbish.
rebelliously self-assertive; not inclined to be tractable or deferential.

Origin of uppity

1875–80, Americanism; probably up + -ity, extended form of -y¹; cf. pernickety

Related formsup·pi·ty·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for uppity

Contemporary Examples

You know: I am to intone that these pundits think of Obama as an “uppity Negro.”
Why the Right Thinks Obama’s a Narcissist—and Why They’re Wrong
John McWhorter
September 18, 2014
They say, “Love the way you dealt with that uppity teenager!”
Alan Cumming Goes ‘Good’
Maria Elena Fernandez
August 31, 2011
Conservatives really seem to hate it when uppity women—damn that pesky economic empowerment!
Summer of the Single Mom
Leslie Bennetts
September 1, 2010
MSNBC host Chris Matthews felt at ease, on national television, referring to a woman as “ she devil,” “ witchy,” and “ uppity.”
The Year in Sexism
Amy Siskind
December 17, 2009
He thought I was uppity and mixing with highbrows or something.
Long Live the Queen!
Lloyd Grove
February 25, 2009

Historical Examples

You was 'fested with letheh straps an' uppity talk when I knowed you fust.
Lady Luck
Hugh Wiley
But one night a bunch o' uppity Niggers went to a 'tainment in Memorial Hall.
Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves
Work Projects Administration
Den, how come you talk so uppity, like a man wid de law on he side and ain't a-scared o' nobody?
Captain Ted
Louis Pendleton
We ought to beat hershell get too uppity to live with, declared Bobby, discussing these games.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage
Gertrude W. Morrison
She was making her do that because she thought she was uppity and she wanted to punish her.
Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States
Work Projects Administration

British Dictionary definitions for uppity

uppity

adjective informal

not yielding easily to persuasion or control
another word for uppish

Word Origin

from up + fanciful ending, perhaps influenced by -ity

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for uppity

adj.

1880, from up + -ity; originally used by blacks of other blacks felt to be too self-assertive (first recorded use is in "Uncle Remus"). The parallel British variant uppish (1670s) originally meant "lavish;" the sense of "conceited, arrogant" being first recorded 1734.

uppity

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}uppity

Related Words

Examples from the Web for uppity

Contemporary Examples

You know: I am to intone that these pundits think of Obama as an “uppity Negro.”

They say, “Love the way you dealt with that uppity teenager!”

Conservatives really seem to hate it when uppity women—damn that pesky economic empowerment!

MSNBC host Chris Matthews felt at ease, on national television, referring to a woman as “ she devil,” “ witchy,” and “ uppity.”

He thought I was uppity and mixing with highbrows or something.

Historical Examples

You was 'fested with letheh straps an' uppity talk when I knowed you fust.

But one night a bunch o' uppity Niggers went to a 'tainment in Memorial Hall.

Den, how come you talk so uppity, like a man wid de law on he side and ain't a-scared o' nobody?

We ought to beat hershell get too uppity to live with, declared Bobby, discussing these games.

She was making her do that because she thought she was uppity and she wanted to punish her.

uppity

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for uppity

adj.

Origin of uppity