Upkeep

How to spell upkeep

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce upkeep

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does upkeep mean?

1. nounThe process or cost of keeping something in good condition and proper repair.

Upkeep in a sentence

• The upkeep of the old farmhouse drains most of their savings each year.

• Regular upkeep of the company vehicles keeps repair bills low.

Where does upkeep come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is a native English compound, built straightforwardly from the everyday adverb 'up' and the verb 'keep', which descends from the Old English 'cepan' meaning 'to seize, hold, or watch over'. The phrase 'to keep up' had long meant to maintain something in good condition or prevent it from falling into decline, and during the nineteenth century English speakers folded that idea into a single noun, 'upkeep', for the act and cost of such maintenance. It first appears in writing in the early to mid 1800s, often in connection with the maintenance of estates, roads, and machinery. Because both halves are ordinary, familiar words, the only real spelling decision is that the two are written solid as one word rather than hyphenated or spaced. The closely related verb phrase 'keep up' still survives separately, which is a useful reminder of where the noun came from.

How the word is built

• up (adverb/particle)
• keep (to maintain), a closed compound noun