Opwaarts

Opwaarts is a Dutch directional term that denotes movement or orientation toward the higher end of a space or toward the source of a river. In geography and hydrology it is used to describe the upstream direction, parallel to the English term upstream; the opposite direction is afwaarts, meaning downstream. In cartography and navigation, opwaarts can appear on maps or in instructions to indicate the path toward the river’s source or toward higher ground.

Etymologically, opwaarts combines op with waarts, forming a compound adverb meaning toward the upper part or toward the source. It is related to other compass- and direction-based formations in Dutch, such as noordwaarts (northward) and zuidwaarts (southward). The form opwaarts is most common in technical, nautical, or literary contexts, rather than in casual everyday speech.

Usage and examples vary by domain. In hydrology or river navigation, one might say that a vessel travels opwaarts to reach the source or to fight against the current. In geography or physical description, a hillside or a river valley can be described as favoring movement opwaarts, toward higher elevations. In general prose, speakers often prefer simpler phrases like “naar boven” or “tegen de stroom” for upward or upstream motion, with opwaarts reserved for precise or formal usage.

See also: afwaarts.