Upgaze

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of directing one's eyes toward a higher position or above the horizontal line
2. Turning your gaze upward, often to observe something located above or to express thoughtfulness
3. Raising the eyes to look at something over you or toward the sky or ceiling

Etymology: "Upgaze" is a plain compound: the prefix "up-" joined to "gaze," so the verb means exactly what the parts suggest, to lift one's eyes upward. The formation is transparent, with no sound change, borrowing, or shift in meaning to untangle. "Gaze" itself is the older and more interesting half, a word that has long sat between looking and staring. "Up-" is the familiar English prefix used in many verbs such as "upend" and "uplift," where it adds a sense of direction. Pairing it with "gaze" produces a word that spells out its own motion, which is why it reads as clear even without a dictionary.