Upgrade

Upgrade

Verb & Noun · /ʌpˈɡreɪd/ · to raise to a higher standard, version, or quality; the improvement that results

Definition

To upgrade is to move something to a higher grade, version, or level of quality. Unlike update, which brings something current, upgrade implies genuine improvement — a step up in capability, power, or class. A software upgrade adds features. A flight upgrade moves you to a better seat. A skills upgrade makes you more capable than before.

Origin

Upgrade combines the prefix up- with grade, from Latin gradus meaning step or degree. The noun grade entered English from French in the nineteenth century to denote rank or quality. Upgrade as a verb and noun emerged in mid-twentieth century American English, initially in telecommunications and computing, and spread globally with the technology industry.