Downbound

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Moving or directed toward a lower position or place
2. Traveling in a downward direction or heading downstream
3. Progressing or flowing from a higher point to a lower one

Etymology: "Downbound" is a plain compound: "down" joined to "-bound," the suffix that means "going toward" a particular place or direction, as in "homebound," "northbound," or "outbound." Put together, the word describes something traveling in a downward direction, which is why it turns up most often in contexts like railways, rivers, and shipping, where traffic is classed as heading up or down a line. The "-bound" element comes from the past participle of "bind," but in these compounds it no longer carries that sense of tying or fastening. Its job is to mark direction of travel, and it attaches freely to place names and directional words. "Downbound" follows the same pattern, pairing "down," meaning toward a lower position or point, with that directional sense.

Synonyms: descending, lowering

Antonyms: upbound, ascending