Where does “citywards” come from?

citywards (English) comes from English wards, from English ward, from Middle English ward, from Old English weard, from Old English ōra, from Old English ēar, from Proto-Germanic ahaz, from Proto-Finnic ahtas — to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

citywards (English): Towards a city

Definitions

  1. Towards a city

Ancestry of “citywards”, step by step

citywards traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English wards

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwardsplural of ward; Third-person singular simple...
2EnglishwardA warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman;...
3Middle Englishwardward, keeping
4Old Englishweardguard; guard, the action of looking out for...
5Old Englishōraore, unwrought metal
6Old Englishēarsea, ocean; grave, earth
7Proto-Germanicahazear
8Proto-Finnicahtasnarrow, cramped
9Proto-Balticanśtas
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énǵʰusnarrow, tight
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enǵʰ-to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

via English city

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcityA large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes...
2Middle Englishcitecity
3Old FrenchcitetAlternative form of cité
4Latincīvitās
5Proto-Italickeiwissociety; citizen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enǵʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énǵʰusEvery word from Proto-Baltic anśtas