The word "inward" is spelled with the letter "w", which is silent in this case. The IPA phonetic transcription of "inward" is /ˈɪnwərd/. The first syllable "in" is pronounced with a short "i" sound, while the second syllable "ward" has a schwa sound in the middle and ends with a voiced "d". The silent "w" in the middle separates the two sounds and gives the word its unique spelling. "Inward" is commonly used as an adverb or an adjective to describe something that is internal or directed towards oneself.
Inward is an adjective primarily used to describe something that is directed towards the interior or inside of a person or thing. It refers to the internal or subjective aspects of a person's thoughts, feelings, emotions, or experiences. It pertains to the deepening awareness of oneself and a person's introspective nature.
Inward can also refer to something that is situated or placed towards the center, middle, or inner part of something else or within oneself. It suggests a position or movement towards the interior. For instance, when talking about a bodily organ, inward would mean closer to the middle or inner parts of the body.
Additionally, inward can describe a person's behavior or disposition that tends to be private, introspective, or internalized. It characterizes individuals who prefer solitude, contemplation, or self-reflection. An inward person often focuses on their thoughts and emotions rather than seeking external stimulation or social interactions.
Inward can also relate to an action or process of turning thoughts, focus, or attention towards oneself as opposed to the external environment. It implies a shift of one's awareness or concentration towards internal matters. Such a tendency can lead to self-introspection, self-analysis, or self-discovery.
Overall, inward encompasses various concepts from the physical to the psychological realm, all indicating a reference to the internal, subjective, centered, or introspective aspects of an individual or an object.
Internal; placed or being within.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "inward" can be traced back to its Old English origin "inweard", which is a combination of the preposition "in" meaning "inside" or "within", and the suffix "-weard", denoting a direction or movement. Thus, "inward" originally referred to something moving or directed towards the inside or interior. Over time, the spelling and pronunciation evolved, but the core meaning of inner or internal has remained.