Outward

How to spell outward

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce outward

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does outward mean?

1. adjectiveRelating to the outside, or visible on the surface as opposed to hidden within.
2. adverbToward the outside or away from a central point.

Outward in a sentence

• adjective

  Despite the bad news, she kept an outward calm during the meeting.

• adverb

  The door swings outward onto the patio.

• adjective

  The outward signs of the leak were a damp ceiling and peeling paint.

• adverb

  Booking the outward flight early saved them a lot of money.

Where does outward come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is a thoroughly native English word, descending from the Old English utweard, which joined ut, meaning 'out' or 'outside', with the directional suffix -weard, meaning 'turned toward' or 'facing in the direction of'. That same -weard element survives across the modern compass of motion words such as toward, homeward, backward and forward, where it always signals which way something is heading. The ut element is simply the ancestor of the everyday word 'out', so the whole compound literally meant 'turned to the outside'. From the basic sense of physical direction the word broadened to describe what is visible on the surface, as in an outward appearance that may hide inner feelings. Because both halves are plain English and the ending is the familiar -ward rather than -wards, the spelling tends to stay regular for most adults.

How the word is built

• out (outside, away)
• -ward (suffix meaning 'in the direction of')