Southward Meaning
/ˈsaʊθwəd/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe direction or area lying to the south of a place.
adjSituated or directed towards the south; moving or facing towards the south.
Sentence Examples
The birds flew in a southward direction as the winter approached.
He looked southward to see the mountains on the distant horizon.
The train traveled southward towards the coast for three hours.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Every autumn, monarch butterflies travel ____ to Mexico to escape the cold.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We watched the train disappear into the distance as it continued its fast ____ journey to the capital.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *sunþ Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥ Proto-Indo-European *sh₂w-én-s Proto-Indo-European *-teros Proto-Indo-European *sh₂ún-teros Proto-Germanic *sunþraz ▲ Proto-Germanic *sunþraz Proto-Germanic *sunþrą Proto-West Germanic *sunþr Old English sūþ Middle English south English south Proto-Indo-European *wert-der. Proto-Germanic *wardaz Old English -weard English -ward English southward From south + -ward.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"100 leagues to the southward"
— 1596, Walter Raleigh, The Discovery of Guiana:
"As the remnants retreated northward to Pengyang (平壤 Pʻing-jang), war was declared and a Chinese contingent from Manchuria went southward to that place."
— 1943, Fang Chao-ying, “SUNG Chʻing [宋慶]”, in Arthur W. Hummel, editor, Eminent Chinese of the Chʻing Period (1644–1912), Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, published 1970, →OCLC, page 687, column 2:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Every autumn, monarch butterflies travel ____ to Mexico to escape the cold.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We watched the train disappear into the distance as it continued its fast ____ journey to the capital.