Where does “inwards” come from?
Inwards derives from English in combined with English -wards, ultimately tracing through Old English inn and Latin uncia to Proto-Indo-European roots denoting position and turning.
inwards (English): Towards the inside
Definitions
- Towards the inside
Ancestry of “inwards”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -wards | Forming adjectives and adverbs denoting course or... |
| 2 | Old English | -weardes | Alternative form of -weard |
| 3 | Old English | -es | possessive marker, indicating that an object... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -as | used in formation of adverbs |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |