Eastweard

Part of speech: adverb, adjective

Definitions

1. Moving or facing in the direction of the east, the way the sun rises at dawn
2. Oriented or heading toward the eastern point of the compass, away from the west
3. Describing motion or position that lies in the direction of the east, an archaic term for going that way

Etymology: Old English speakers formed "ēastweard" by joining "ēast" (east) to the suffix "-weard," which meant "turned toward" or "in the direction of." The result described movement or facing toward the east, so a traveller heading that way went eastweard. The same suffix appears in "homeward," "upward," and "forward," which all combine a place or direction with this sense of turning toward it. Modern English kept the same structure but changed the spelling of the suffix from "-weard" to "-ward," while the meaning stayed essentially the same.