English
reefward
From reef + -ward.
Formed from reef + -ward
Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- ‘arch, ceiling, cover’
Proto-Germanic *ribją ‘rib, reef’
Old Norse rif ‘rib, reef’
Middle English rif
English reef
Today it means
adv Toward a reef.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / reefward