astern

Astern is a nautical term used to describe the direction toward the rear (the stern) of a vessel. It functions as an adverb or an adjective and denotes movement or position behind a ship’s main forward direction. In everyday seamanship, a command such as “full astern” instructs the engines to reverse to move the vessel backward. Similarly, descriptive uses include phrases like “the ship set course astern of the convoy” to indicate a position behind the reference point. The term is often paired with other directional words, such as ahead (forward) or abaft (toward the stern relative to a point on the vessel).

Etymology and usage: Astern derives from the noun stern with a prefix a- thought to denote toward or in the direction of. The word is chiefly used in maritime contexts, where precise directional language matters for maneuvering, docking, and navigation. While primarily technical, astern can also appear in broader writing to convey backward motion or retreat, though in non-nautical contexts synonyms such as behind or rearward are more common.

Related naval terms include forward or ahead for the opposite direction, and abaft, a formal nautical term meaning toward or at the rear of a vessel from a given reference point. In modern ships, moving astern is accomplished by reversing propellers or using specialized propulsion controls as part of standard maneuvering procedures.