Uptown refers to the section of a city that's away from the main business district, often in the direction you'd travel to reach residential neighborhoods or higher ground. In many American cities, uptown traditionally meant the area where wealthier residents lived, with tree-lined streets, larger homes, and quieter parks, as opposed to downtown, where businesses, offices, and crowded streets dominated.

The word's meaning shifts depending on the city. In New York, going uptown means traveling north on Manhattan Island, toward areas like Harlem or the Upper West Side. In other cities, uptown might simply mean the nicer or fancier part of town, wherever that happens to be. When someone says they're moving uptown, they might mean they're literally relocating to that part of the city, or they might be using the phrase figuratively to suggest they're advancing to a better situation in life.

Uptown can also describe a style or attitude: uptown jazz has a polished, sophisticated sound, and an uptown restaurant suggests elegance and higher prices. The word carries a sense of refinement and establishment, contrasting with downtown's bustle or the grittiness of other neighborhoods.