on top of or resting on something
The cat jumped upon the table to reach the food.
Snow lay thick upon the rooftops after the storm.
✦ Middle English, contraction of up + on, originally meaning the same as “up on.”
immediately after or at the moment that something happens
Upon hearing the alarm, everyone left the building.
The crowd cheered upon the team's arrival.
used after certain verbs to show the person or thing affected, dealt with, or toward which an action is directed
The charity called upon volunteers to help.
A great responsibility now rests upon you.
a small printed or digital ticket that lets you pay less or get something extra when you buy a product or use a service
Maya cut a coupon from the newspaper to save two dollars on cereal.
At the checkout, the cashier scanned the digital coupon on Daniel's phone.
✦ Borrowed into English in the early 19th century from French “coupon,” literally “piece cut off,” from “couper” (to cut), referring to torn or clipped certificates attached to bonds.
the fixed interest payment on a bond, or the detachable certificate that you present to receive that interest
The government bond offers a five-percent coupon paid twice a year.
Investors often compare the bond's yield with its stated coupon to decide if it is attractive.
✦ Originally each paper bond had attached coupons that bondholders physically cut and presented for interest, which led to the finance meaning of the term.
