Tailward

Part of speech: adverb, adjective

Definitions

1. Directed or situated toward the rear or hind part of an object or organism, especially in relation to the tail
2. Positioned or moving in the direction of the tail end or back portion of a body or structure
3. Oriented or extending toward the posterior extremity, opposite to the head or forward section of an entity

Etymology: "Tailward" is a plain compound: "tail" joined to the suffix "-ward," which English has long used to mark direction. Words like "homeward," "seaward" and "backward" follow the same pattern, so "tailward" means toward the tail or rear of something. The suffix comes from Old English "-weard," which meant "turned toward" and is related to "ward" as in "toward" and "forward." Because the formation is so transparent, the word needs little special explanation. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, and it is used mainly in technical or descriptive contexts, such as describing the direction of airflow along a vehicle's body or the movement of a comet's tail away from the Sun.

Synonyms: aft, sternward, rearward, backward, astern

Antonyms: forward, fore, frontward, ahead