Suidwaarts

Suidwaarts is an Afrikaans term meaning toward the south; literally, “southwards.” It is used as an adverb or directional phrase to indicate a southward direction or movement. The word is formed from Suid (south) and waarts (towards) and shares cognates with the Dutch zuidwaarts. In nautical, cartographic, and everyday usage, it designates a southward course or location. For example, a ship’s navigator might set a course suidwaarts, and a map could label a region as suidwaarts of a reference point.

The term is primarily used in Afrikaans-speaking contexts; in English, the equivalent expressions are “southward” or “to the south.” Pronunciation is roughly suid-warts. Variants and related forms include zuidwaarts in Dutch; in English, “southward” is the standard counterpart. Notable uses appear in historical Afrikaans texts and in travel writing describing journeys in southern Africa.

See also: Afrikaans language; Dutch language; compass directions; navigation.