Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-wards” come from?

-wards (English) comes from Old English -weardes, from Old English -es, from Proto-Germanic -as, from Proto-Indo-European -ēs, from Proto-Indo-European -ess, from Proto-Indo-European -os — Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...

-wards (English): Forming adjectives and adverbs denoting course or...

Definitions

  1. Forming adjectives and adverbs denoting course or...

Ancestry of “-wards”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old English-weardesAlternative form of -weard
2Old English-espossessive marker, indicating that an object...
3Proto-Germanic-as—
4Proto-Indo-European-ēsPrimarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds
5Proto-Indo-European-ess—
6Proto-Indo-European-osCreates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...

Words derived from “-wards”

  • onwards
  • downwards
  • inwards
  • northwards
  • southwards
  • eastwards
  • westwards
  • innards
  • seawards
  • skywards
  • heavenwards
  • earthwards
  • leftwards
  • shorewards
  • rightwards
  • sidewards
  • thitherwards
  • citywards
  • polewards
  • rearwards
  • townwards
  • northwestwards
  • southeastwards
  • southwestwards
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -os →