seaward

Seaward is an adjective and adverb describing direction toward the sea. It commonly designates the side of something that faces the ocean or open water, in contrast with inland or landward. In nautical and coastal contexts, the seaward side is the side oriented toward the water or away from the shore.

Originating from sea and ward, the term derives from Old English sǣweard, meaning “toward the sea.” It has retained a precise sense in technical and descriptive contexts.

Usage is most common in architecture, geography, and coastal engineering. For example, seaward-facing aspects of buildings are oriented toward the coast, and the seaward edge of cliffs or seawalls is the portion exposed to waves. In navigation or descriptive geography, directions may be given as seaward to indicate motion toward the sea, with landward or inland serving as the opposite direction.

Seaward appeared in formal writing to distinguish coastal or ocean-oriented features from inland ones. It is often used in compound forms such as seaward-facing or seaward boundary, though simpler uses of seaward as an adverb or adjective are also standard.

See also: landward, windward.