Where does “eastward” come from?
Eastward comes from Old English ēasteweard, a directional compound combining ēast with weard meaning toward the east.
eastward (English): The direction or area lying to the east; Situated...
Definitions
- The direction or area lying to the east; Situated...
Ancestry of “eastward”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | estward | eastward |
| 2 | Old English | ēastweard | eastward |
| 3 | Old English | -weard | Forming adjectives and nouns from adjectives or... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wardaz | turned; turned toward; facing; Alternative form... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | werþaz | worthy, valuable |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wert- | to turn, to rotate |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |