Pronunciation: [lˈandwədz] (IPA) 
"Landwards" is a rare word used to describe the direction towards the land, as opposed to the sea. Its spelling is based on the word "landward" with the addition of the letter "s" to form a plural form. The word has two syllables - "land" and "wards" - and is pronounced /lændwədz/. The stress falls on the first syllable. Although not commonly used in everyday language, "landwards" can be found in literature and nautical jargon.
Landwards is an adverb that refers to the direction, position, or movement towards the land or in a landward direction. It describes a location or movement that is directed or facing towards the inland or land rather than towards the sea or water.
The term landwards is commonly used in geographical and navigational contexts. For example, when describing the movement of a boat or ship, landwards signifies the movement towards the shore or towards the landmass. In a similar vein, it can also be used to indicate the direction or position of a coastal area or region relative to the sea.
Furthermore, landwards can be used to describe the orientation or direction of a location in relation to inland areas. It can be employed to explain the geographical placement of an area with respect to its position away from the sea or towards the interior.
In a broader sense, landwards can be used metaphorically to describe a focus, movement, or shift towards the exploration or development of land-based activities or ventures. It implies a movement or attention away from the sea or water-related activities and towards the land or terrestrial activities.
Overall, landwards specifies the direction or position towards the land or inland and is often used in geographical, navigational, and metaphorical contexts.
The word "landwards" is derived from the combination of two words: "land" and "wards".
1. "Land" originated from the Old English word "land", which is believed to have its roots in the Proto-Germanic word "*landą". It referred to the earth's surface or the solid part of the Earth's surface, specifically distinguished from sea or water bodies.
2. "Wards" comes from the Old English word "weard", which means "toward", "direction", or "guardian". It has Indo-European origins and is related to words such as "ward", "guard", and "warden".
By combining the two words, "land" (referring to the earth's surface) and "wards" (indicating direction or movement toward), we get "landwards". It is used to describe the direction or movement toward the land, typically used in navigation or geographical contexts.
