Where does “thitherward” come from?
Thitherward comes from Old English þider meaning "to that place" combined with Old English -weard meaning "toward," both ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European wer- meaning "to turn."
thitherward (English): Toward that place
Ancestry of “thitherward”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | þiderweard | — |
| 2 | Old English | -weard | Forming adjectives and nouns from adjectives or... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wardaz | turned; turned toward; facing; Alternative form... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | werþaz | worthy, valuable |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wert- | to turn, to rotate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |