Pronunciation: [sˈa͡ʊθwəd] (IPA) 
Southward is spelled with the "ou" digraph, which represents the diphthong /aʊ/ sound, as in "house" and "out". The "th" in "southward" is pronounced as a voiceless dental fricative /θ/, as in "think" and "math". The final "ward" is also pronounced with a diphthong /wɔːrd/, as in "board" and "cord". Overall, the pronunciation of "southward" is /ˈsaʊθwərd/. It means in the direction of the south.
Southward is an adverb that describes the direction towards the south, or the opposite of northward. It indicates movement, position, or orientation in the southern direction. When used as an adverb, it denotes the action or movement of traveling, facing, or pointing towards the south. Additionally, it can refer to the position of something with relation to the south, indicating that it is located or situated to the southern side of a reference point.
Furthermore, southward can also be used as an adjective to describe something or someone that is directed or oriented towards the south. It can represent a quality or characteristic attributed to a person or object that is facing or moving in the southern direction.
The term southward is commonly used to give spatial or directional information about various objects or individuals. It has applications in geography, navigation, travel, and everyday conversation. When planning a journey, for instance, if someone indicates that they are heading southward, they are communicating that their intended destination lies in a southern direction. Similarly, in maps or globes, southward points towards the lower part of the Earth's surface in relation to the North Pole.
In summary, southward denotes movement, position, or orientation towards the southern direction, opposite to northward. As an adverb or adjective, it refers to actions, states, or qualities that involve or are associated with the south.
• Towards the south.
• Colloquially, toward the south.
• The southern regions.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "southward" is mainly composed of two elements: "south" and the suffix "-ward".
The term "south" can be traced back to the Old English word "sūþ" which referred to the direction of the sun's course, and ultimately derives from the Proto-Germanic *sunþrą. It is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as Old Frisian "sūth" and Old Norse "suðr".
The suffix "-ward" denotes a direction or movement, and also has its roots in Old English. Its Old English form was "-weard" or "-weardes", which evolved from the Proto-Germanic *-wardaz. This suffix was used to indicate movement or orientation towards a particular direction, and is related to similar suffixes in other Germanic languages.
