Etymology

downward

D2O1W4N1W4A1R1D2

Today it means: Toward a lower level, whether in physical space, in a hierarchy, or in amount or value. Full definition →

Proto-Germanic *wardaz ← Proto-Indo-European *wert- ← English down
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The story

  1. Old Englishof-
  2. Proto-Germanic*dūnaz?
  3. Proto-Indo-European*dewh₂-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*duh₂-nós?
  5. Proto-Celtic*dūnomder.?
  6. Proto-West Germanic*dūnā
  7. Old Englishdūne
  8. Old Englishofdūne
  9. Old Englishadūne
  10. Old Englishdūne
  11. Middle Englishdoun
  12. Englishdown
  13. Proto-Indo-European*wert-
  14. Proto-Germanic*wardaz
  15. English todaydownward

From down + -ward.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.