Uptown Means North in Manhattan
Uptown is the upper part of a city. In New York it means north, because Manhattan is a long narrow island and maps put north at the top.
Uptown means the upper or outer part of a town, and in New York it means north. Manhattan is long, narrow and aligned roughly north to south, so on a map the northern end is literally at the top. Uptown, downtown and midtown are directions on that island before they are anything else. Elsewhere in America downtown simply means the central business district.
- The northern part of Manhattan. *He lives uptown.*
- The residential upper part of a town. *An uptown address.*
- Wealthy in tone. *Uptown tastes.*
- Downtown — the centre, or southern Manhattan. *Downtown traffic.*
- Midtown — between the two. *A midtown office.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adverb | uptown | Head uptown. |
| Adjective | uptown | An uptown bar. |
| Noun | uptown | Uptown was quiet. |
| Opposite | downtown | Go downtown. |
| Middle | midtown | Midtown Manhattan. |
- Take the train uptown.New York.
- Downtown was empty on Sunday.Most American cities: the centre.
- An uptown crowd.Suggesting money.
American city words
- Downtown — the central business district in most American cities
- Uptown — north in Manhattan; the residential upper area elsewhere
- Midtown — the area between, chiefly a New York term
- City centre — the standard British equivalent of downtown
- Suburbs — outside all of it, in both varieties
From *up* plus *town*, American English of the early 1800s. The New York directional sense follows the shape of Manhattan island.
Does uptown always mean north?
In Manhattan, yes. In other American cities it usually means the residential area away from the centre.
What is the British equivalent of downtown?
City centre, or town centre in smaller places.