Definition above in American English

Above can be used in the following ways:

as a preposition (followed by a noun): The birds were flying high above the trees.

as an adverb (without a following noun): She stared up at the stars above.

as an adjective: Please reply to the above address.

Both above and over can be used to mean “at a higher level than something”: the light above/over the door.

Use above when something is not directly over something else: on the hillside above the river.

Use over when something moves or stretches across the space above something: flying over Miamithe bridge over the river.

Use over when something covers something else: She put a scarf over her hair.