Where does “upward” come from?
Upward comes from Old English upweardes, a directional adverb formed from up and a suffix indicating direction.
upward (English): In a direction from lower to higher; toward a...
Definitions
- In a direction from lower to higher; toward a...
Ancestry of “upward”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | upweardes | upwards |
| 2 | Old English | upweard | turned upwards |
| 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 |