Definition of the word upward

The word "upward" has its roots in Old English and Germanic languages. The earliest recorded use of the word "upward" dates back to the 9th century, where it was written as "upwurd" or "upwyrde". This primitive form of the word derived from the Old English words "up" meaning "away from" or "removed from" and "wurd" meaning "ward" or "direction". Over time, the spelling and meaning of the word evolved to become "upward", which is now commonly used to indicate movement or direction towards a higher position or point. For instance, "The ball went upward and landed on the ceiling" or "The company is moving upward in the market". Throughout its development, the word "upward" has retained its core meaning of denoting an increase in vertical position or direction.