Leeward

Word of the Day for Friday, March 1, 2013

Leeward \LEE-werd; Naut. LOO-erd\, adjective:

1. pertaining to, situated in, or moving toward the quarter toward which the wind blows (opposed to windward).

noun:
1. the lee side; the point or quarter toward which the wind blows.

adverb:
1. toward the lee.

Look out to leeward, a little afore the beam, and you will see one a long way out of the ordinary.
-- Patrick O'Brian, The Wine-Dark Sea, 1993

Two of the most daring flew to the main-rigging, one ascending to windward and the other to leeward.
-- Frederick Marryat, The King's Own, 1830

While the ultimate origin of leeward, first appearing in English in the 1500s, is not known for certain, it contains the Old English hleo meaning "strong." This in turn came from the Old Norse hly meaning "shelter" and "warmth."

Thanks to: www.dictionary.com