Onwardness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state or quality of advancing or moving forward in time or space
2. The characteristic of continuous progress or forward movement in an activity or process
3. The condition of proceeding onward, showing motion or development toward a goal

Etymology: "Onwardness" is a plain combination of two English parts: "onward," meaning toward or at a place ahead, and the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a state or quality. "Onward" itself is a compound of "on" and the old "-ward" element, which points a direction, so the word sums to something like "the quality of being directed forward." The word works the same way as "forwardness," "backwardness," and "outwardness," each built by adding "-ness" to a directional adjective. Its use is mainly figurative, describing the sense of steady progress in time or in a course of action, rather than physical motion alone.

Synonyms: progress, advancement

Antonyms: regression