the word 'towards' originates from the old english adjective 'tōweard', a compound of the preposition 'tō' (meaning 'to') and the suffix '-weard' (meaning 'in the direction of, facing'). this '-weard' suffix, from proto-germanic 'wardaz', is the ancestor of the modern english '-ward(s)', as seen in words like 'forward' and 'homeward'. over time, 'tōweard' evolved from its adjectival sense of 'approaching' or 'future' into the prepositional form 'toward(s)', solidifying its primary function of indicating direction or orientation. the addition of the '-s' in middle english was an adverbial genitive, a common feature that also appears in words like 'always' and 'besides', giving us the two variant forms 'toward' and 'towards' used interchangeably today.

the word is a simplex form derived from the old english 'tōweard', which was an adjective meaning 'future' or 'approaching'. it is not productively segmentable into distinct morphemes in modern english.