Earthwards

/ˈɜːrθwərdz/ adverb

Definition

In a direction toward the earth; downward (primarily British English).

Etymology

British variant of 'earthward' using the '-wards' suffix instead of '-ward'. Both forms developed in Middle English, with '-wards' becoming dominant in British usage while '-ward' remained common in American English.

Kelly Says

English has a secret split personality: Americans say 'toward' while British speakers say 'towards,' and the same goes for earthward vs. earthwards! This is one of the few grammatical differences where both versions are equally correct depending on your side of the Atlantic.

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