Definition of outward

The word "outward" originated in Old English, where it was spelled "uttward" and pronounced "ūtweard". Its roots lie in the Old English words "ut", meaning "out" or " exterior", and "weard", meaning "keeper" or "guardian". When used in Old English, the term "utward" referred to something that was facing outward, such as an object that was outside or something that was being protected from the outside. It could also refer to someone or something that was located outside, such as an outlying village or the troops stationed outside a castle. As the English language evolved over time, the spelling and pronunciation of "outward" changed. By the Middle English period, it was spelled "utward" and pronounced "ütwerd". During the 16th century, the letter "w" was dropped from the spelling and the word was pronounced "uttward". Today, it is spelled "outward" and is pronounced "out-weard". In modern English, the word "outward" is still used to describe things that are facing outward, such as the outward appearance of a person, or things that are located outside, such as an outward-bound journey. It can also be used to describe the outer layer or surface of something, such as the outward coat of a pine nut.