Moving toward a higher place or position; increasing in amount or level.
From Old English 'upweard,' combining 'up' (up) and 'weard' (toward). The word has been used for over a thousand years to indicate motion or direction toward higher places.
The phrase 'upwardly mobile' became a major concept in 20th-century sociology—it describes the idea that people could improve their social status, which was revolutionary because it meant society wasn't completely fixed by birth!
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