An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/-wärts

by Friedrich Kluge

-wärts, suffix in compounds, e.g., aufwärts, from Middle High German and Old High German -wërtes (ûfwërtes, ‘upwards’); properly an adverbial genit. of Middle High German and Old High German -wërt (Middle High German and Old High German ûfwërt, adverb, ‘upwards’). The latter word is used as an adjective in Old High German, but is now represented by -wärtig (Middle High German and Old High German -wërtic); compare Old High German inwërt, adjective ‘internal,’ Gothic andwairþs, adjective, ‘present.’ The word is never used independently; since it forms local adjectives in the sense of ‘existing,’ some are inclined to connect it with werden, ‘to arise.’