homeward

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled homewards

US /ˈhoʊmwɚd/ UK /ˈhəʊmwəd/ See IPA manual

Freq #38223

Meanings

1

adv
In the direction of home.

I fought my way homeward through the deep snow.
2

adj
Going or directed toward home.

I caught a homeward bus after the long day.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · in the direction of home. homewards

2 adj · going or directed toward home. homeward-bound

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

homeward direction
A direction leading back toward home.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English homward, from Old English hāmweard, from Proto-Germanic *haimawarda, equivalent to home + -ward. Cognate with Dutch heimwaarts, German heimwärts (“homeward”).

homward Middle English hāmweard Old English *haimawarda Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# homeward

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adv, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈhoʊmwɚd/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhəʊmwəd/
**Frequency rank:** 38223

## Meanings
1. In the direction of home.
2. Going or directed toward home.

## Examples
- I fought my way homeward through the deep snow.
- I caught a homeward bus after the long day.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: homward
- Root: hāmweard
- Root: *haimawarda
- Affix: -ward - in the direction of

## Etymology
From Middle English homward, from Old English hāmweard, from Proto-Germanic *haimawarda, equivalent to home + -ward. Cognate with Dutch heimwaarts, German heimwärts (“homeward”).

## AI Etymology
Homeward comes from Middle English homward, from Old English hāmweard, from Proto-Germanic *haimawarda, equivalent to home + -ward. Cognate with Dutch heimwaarts, German heimwärts (“homeward”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adverbial form is built from the named base and affix. In current use, the main senses are “In the direction of home” and “Going or directed toward home”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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