Dictionary.com
definitions

rearward

[ reer-werd for 1–4; reer-wawrd for 5 ]
/ ˈrɪər wərd for 1–4; ˈrɪər wɔrd for 5 /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rearward ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

Also rear·wards. toward or in the rear.

adjective

located in, near, or toward the rear.
directed toward the rear.

noun

a position at the rear: in the rearward of fashion.
the rear division of a military unit.

RELATED WORDS

behind, backward, round, backwards, aback, abaft, about, around, astern, inverted

Nearby words

  1. rearmost,
  2. rearmouse,
  3. rearrange,
  4. rearrangement,
  5. rearview mirror,
  6. reason,
  7. reason, age of,
  8. reasonable,
  9. reasoned,
  10. reasonedly

Origin of rearward

1300–50; Middle English rerewarde < Anglo-French. See rear1, -ward
Related formsrear·ward·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rearward

British Dictionary definitions for rearward

rearward

/ (ˈrɪəwəd) /

adjective, adverb

towards or in the rearAlso (for adverb only): rearwards

noun

a position in the rear, esp the rear division of a military formation

Word Origin for rearward

C14 (as a noun: the part of an army positioned behind the main body of troops): from Anglo-French rerewarde, variant of reregarde; see rearguard
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for rearward

rearward

adv.

1590s, from rear (adj.) + -ward.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper