Moving forward in time, space, or progress; continuing ahead. Used to indicate direction toward the future or advancement in a process.
From Middle English 'onward' plus the adverbial suffix '-s.' 'Onward' combines 'on' (Old English) with 'ward' (meaning direction), creating a compound indicating forward movement or progress.
The 's' in 'onwards' is actually an old genitive ending that became attached to many directional words like 'forwards' and 'backwards.' Interestingly, 'onward' and 'onwards' are often interchangeable, though 'onwards' tends to be more common in British English.
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