-wards

American  

1. variant of -ward.

   towards; afterwards.

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-wards British  

suffix

1. indicating direction towards Compare -ward

   a step backwards

   to sail shorewards

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Spelling

See -ward.

Usage

What does -wards mean? The suffix -wards is used to mean "in the direction of," either in time or space. It is often used in everyday and technical terms.The form -wards comes from Old English -weardes, meaning “towards.”What are variants of -wards?The suffix -wards is more common in British English. In North American English, the variant -ward, as in toward, is more commonly used. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on -ward.

Etymology

Origin of -wards

Middle English; Old English -weardes, equivalent to -weard toward ( ward ) + -es -s ¹

Example Sentences

The company that makes the baby blankets External link used to wrap newborns in delivery wards across the U.S. has just become one of the largest initial public offerings in years.

From Barron's

The company that makes the baby blankets External link used to wrap newborns in delivery wards across the U.S. is going public this week, in what could be the largest initial public offering in years.

From Barron's

Despite the challenges, she said the hospital's charity worked hard to make the festive period special for children on the wards.

From BBC

Zarwa also appeared in the charity's Christmas television advert, which showed real-life footage of 12 families spending Christmas on hospital wards last year.

From BBC

Some health boards have had to close wards and restrict visiting with many asking people to wear masks.

From BBC