farside
UK[ˈfɑːsaɪd]US[ˈfɑːrsaɪd]
n
The side of a moon or planet that is permanently turned away from the body it orbits, especially the side of the Moon not visible from Earth.
n
The side of something that is furthest away or least visible.
Morpheme Breakdown
far
side
far
distant
side
lateral surface
Etymology
The word 'farside' is a transparent Modern English compound, formed by directly combining two native Germanic elements. 'Far' descends from the Old English feorr, which has a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to pass over', conveying a sense of great distance. 'Side' originates from Old English sīde, related to the concept of a long, extended surface or flank. Their union creates a literal, spatial descriptor for the distant or opposite lateral area of an object. Its most famous and specialized application emerged in the mid-20th century with space exploration, designating the hemisphere of a celestial body, most notably the Moon, that is perpetually hidden from the observer's view, thus extending the simple spatial meaning into a specific astronomical term.
Analysis
Structure: far (distant) + side (lateral surface)
far: From Old English feorr (to a great distance), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch ver and German fern. Functions as an adjective/adverb meaning at, to, or by a great distance.
side: From Old English sīde (flank, lateral surface), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zijde and German Seite. Functions as a noun denoting a bounding line or surface.
Examples
The first images of the Moon's farside were captured by the Soviet Luna 3 probe in 1959.
From our vantage point on Earth, we can never see the lunar farside.
He parked on the farside of the building, away from the main entrance.