Etymologically
Log in

clockwise

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 1 November 2026 at 04:06. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • /ˈklɒkwaɪz/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English clock + -wise,[2][3][4] the suffix meaning "way, manner", as in lengthwise.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the direction in which the hands of a clock turn: 1874, in the Spectator.[2] Etymonline dates it to 1879,[3] Merriam-Webster to 1888,[6] and Dictionary.com to 1885–90.[4]

Semantic evolution

The adjective, of something turning in the direction of a clock's hands, followed in 1879, in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.[2] Merriam-Webster notes that the word is opposed to counterclockwise and gives "with the sun" as a further gloss.[6]

Timeline

  • 1874 – adverb, in the direction of a clock's hands.[2]
  • 1879 – adjective, turning in that direction.[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. In the same direction as the hands of a clock move, as seen from the front: Turn the dial clockwise to raise the volume.[6][2]

Adjective

  1. Moving or turning in that direction: a clockwise rotation.[6][2]

Word family

  • contraclockwise

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
  5. ^ Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster