Uppercase: meaning, definitions and examples

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uppercase

 

[ ˈʌpəˌkeɪs ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

text

Written or printed in capital letters; of or in letters of the alphabet that are A, B, C, etc., rather than a, b, c, etc.

Synonyms

capitalized, large letters, majuscule.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
uppercase

Commonly used in computing and typography to refer to capital letters. Suitable for technical contexts.

  • "Make sure your password includes at least one uppercase letter
  • " "Is the name field case-sensitive or accepts both uppercase and lowercase letters?"
capitalized

Refers to the first letter of a word being a capital letter. Used in general writing and grammar contexts.

  • "All proper nouns should be capitalized
  • " "Remember to capitalize the first word in each sentence
  • "
majuscule

An older, more scholarly term used in the context of ancient manuscripts and calligraphy. Rarely used in everyday conversation.

  • "The inscription was written in ornate majuscule script
  • " "Majuscule letters were predominant in Roman inscriptions
  • "
large letters

Used in everyday conversational contexts to describe big letters, regardless of case.

  • "Please print your name in large letters for clarity
  • " "The sign was written in large letters for everyone to see
  • "

Examples of usage

  • The title is written in uppercase letters.
  • Remember to type your password in uppercase.
Context #2 | Noun

text

An uppercase letter.

Synonyms

capital letter, majuscule.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
uppercase

Identical to the first entry, this should typically be used when referring to text formatting or style, especially in a digital or technological context.

  • Ensure the file names are all in uppercase letters
  • The user interface displays buttons in uppercase
capital letter

Typically used in everyday English and basic grammar to refer to the first letter of a proper noun or the first letter of a sentence.

  • The word 'London' starts with a capital letter
  • Always begin a sentence with a capital letter
majuscule

A more formal or academic term, often employed in historical texts or discussions about old manuscripts and inscriptions.

  • Ancient Roman inscriptions often use majuscule letters
  • The manuscript was written entirely in majuscules

Examples of usage

  • Please write your name in uppercase on the form.

Translations

Translations of the word "uppercase" in other languages:

🇵🇹 maiúsculas

🇮🇳 अपरकेस

🇩🇪 Großbuchstaben

🇮🇩 huruf besar

🇺🇦 великі літери

🇵🇱 wielkie litery

🇯🇵 大文字

🇫🇷 majuscules

🇪🇸 mayúsculas

🇹🇷 büyük harfler

🇰🇷 대문자

🇸🇦 أحرف كبيرة

🇨🇿 velká písmena

🇸🇰 veľké písmená

🇨🇳 大写字母

🇸🇮 velike črke

🇮🇸 stórir stafir

🇰🇿 үлкен әріптер

🇬🇪 დიდი ასოები

🇦🇿 böyük hərflər

🇲🇽 mayúsculas

Etymology

The term 'uppercase' originated from the traditional way of setting type for printing presses. The larger, capital letters were stored in the 'upper case' of the printer's type case, while the smaller, lowercase letters were in the 'lower case'. Over time, the distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters became standard in typography and text formatting.

See also: case, cases, casing, casings, cassette, encase, encased, encasement, encasing, lowercase.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,693, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.