poleward

American  

[pohl-werd] / ˈpoʊl wərd /

adverb

1. Also polewards. toward a pole of the earth; toward the North or South Pole.

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adjective

1. facing or moving toward the North or South Pole.

Etymology

Origin of poleward

First recorded in 1870–75; pole ² + -ward

Example Sentences

Their analysis revealed that extremely fast poleward shifting species, defined as upward of 17 kilometres per year, show marked declines in population, compared to negligible increases in populations that did not shift.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2024

And they’re harming marine ecosystems: bleaching coral reefs that support an estimated 25 percent of the ocean’s biodiversity; exacerbating algal blooms that trigger fish kills; and driving the poleward migration of marine species.

From Scientific American • Jul. 14, 2023

The atmosphere above us is always seeking equilibrium, Kovacik said — “so it is always trying to pull warm air poleward and cold air equatorward.”

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2023

In contrast, the larger numbers of whales in the southwest Pacific Ocean are heading poleward at certain times of the year, suggesting krill are still plentiful in that ocean basin.

From Science Magazine • Feb. 26, 2023

The warm currents which would flow poleward in inter-glacial epochs must have favored a prompt reintroduction of marine faunas driven out during times of glaciation.

From Climatic Changes Their Nature and Causes by Huntington, Ellsworth