aufsteigend

Aufsteigend is a German adjective meaning rising, increasing, or ascending. It describes something that moves upward or grows in value, height, or order. The word derives from the verb aufsteigen (to rise) with the participle suffix -end, and it is used both literally and figuratively.

In mathematics, statistics and data handling, aufsteigend denotes a sequence or sorting order that progresses from smaller to larger values. The phrase aufsteigende Ordnung or aufsteigende Sortierung refers to ascending order, the counterpart to absteigend (descending order). For example, a list of numbers in aufsteigender Reihenfolge starts with the smallest value and ends with the largest.

Beyond mathematics, aufsteigend appears in scientific and journalistic contexts to describe increasing trends or upward movements. Examples include aufsteigende Temperaturen, eine aufsteigende Tendenz or aufsteigende Luft in meteorology. The term can also be used more generally to denote progress or growth in various metrics.

Related terms include steigend (rising) and aufwärts (upward), while opposites include absteigend and fallend. In German grammar, aufsteigend is a regular attributive adjective and is written in lowercase unless it begins a sentence. The word is widely understood across German-speaking regions and is common in technical, academic, and everyday language.