Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “toward” come from?

toward (Middle English) comes from Old English tōweard, from Proto-West Germanic tōward.

toward (Middle English): In the direction of; toward; Into the presence...

Definitions

  1. In the direction of; toward; Into the presence...

Ancestry of “toward”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtōweard—
2Proto-West Germanictōward—

Words derived from “toward”

  • toward
  • towards
  • untoward
  • towardly
  • untowardly
  • untowardness
  • towardness
  • towardliness
  • untowardliness
  • towardly
Every word from Proto-West Germanic tōward →