Northward

How to spell northward

9 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce northward

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does northward mean?

1. adverbToward or in the direction of the north.
2. adjectiveSituated toward or facing the north.

Northward in a sentence

• adverb

  The migrating geese flew northward as spring arrived.

• adjective

  A steady northward breeze cooled the campsite all evening.

• adverb

  We drove northward for three hours to reach the lake.

• adjective

  The ferry follows a northward route along the rugged shoreline.

Where does northward come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word joins the noun north to the old directional suffix -ward, which comes from the Old English -weard, meaning 'turned toward' or 'facing in the direction of'. That suffix itself traces back to a Germanic root related to the idea of turning, the same notion that survives in modern words like 'toward' and 'wary'. North, in turn, is an ancient Germanic word for the cold compass point, recorded in Old English as 'norð'. Compounds of this kind, such as northward, eastward, and homeward, were already common in Old and Middle English to describe motion or orientation. The spelling stays neat and regular: simply attach -ward to north, and note that the suffix is -ward, not -wards, although British writers also use 'northwards' as a variant for the adverb.

How the word is built

• north (the compass direction)
• -ward (Old English -weard: turned in the direction of)