upcycle

[ uhp-sahy-kuhl ]

verb (used with object),up·cy·cled, up·cy·cling.
  1. to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original: I upcycled a stained tablecloth into curtains.: Compare downcycle (def. 2).

verb (used without object),up·cy·cled, up·cy·cling.
  1. to process goods or material so as to produce something that is often better than the original: Several new companies whose purpose is to upcycle have sprung up recently.

noun
  1. Economics. a period or cycle during which business activity or profitability is at a high point: The whole industry has entered an upcycle.

Origin of upcycle

1
First recorded in 1990–95; up + (re)cycle

Other words from upcycle

  • up·cy·cler, noun

Words Nearby upcycle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024