Definition

A person who comes from the northern part of a state, especially New York.

Example

My friend is an upstater who loves the mountains and lakes.

Conversation

I met an interesting upstater at the coffee shop yesterday.

Oh really? What did they say?

They were telling me about the beautiful hiking trails up there.

That sounds amazing! I've always wanted to visit upstate.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Upstater → The word is formed from "up" (meaning higher or above) and "state" (from Old French *estat*, meaning condition or position) with the suffix "-er" (meaning a person who). An upstater refers to a person from a higher or more elevated state or region, often used in the context of someone from a more rural or northern area compared to a metropolitan area.

Memory Tip

Think of someone from a 'higher' ('up') 'condition' or 'position' ('state') — that's why an upstater is a person from a higher region.

Visually Confused Words