Meanings
comparative more netherward · superlative most netherward
- Of or pertaining to the downward or lower part of something; lower; bottom.
For the ears a noble drink, take the netherward part of radish and elecampane, the broad bishop-wort and hassuck leaves, rue and rose, savine, fever-fue; beat all together, pour over them a sextarius full of ale, ere thou touch meat.
1866, Cockayne, Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England - Lowly.
But celestial imperiousness, love, wrath, and fervour, had proved to be somewhat thrown away on netherward Egdon.
1878, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Belgravia
comparative more netherward · superlative most netherward
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Old Englishniþerweard“downward, directed downwards, turned downwards”
- Middle Englishnitherward
- Englishnetherward
From Middle English nitherward, from Old English niþerweard (“downward, directed downwards, turned downwards”), equivalent to nether + -ward. Cognate with Dutch neerwaarts (“netherward”), German niederwärts (“netherward”).
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
netherward. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/netherward
“netherward.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/netherward. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “netherward,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/netherward.
Source: netherward on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.