different between withershins vs anticlockwise

English

Alternative forms

• widdershins
• widdersins

Etymology

From wither- +? shins, sins, alteration of withersuns (“contrary to the sun's course”, literally “against the sun's”), modelled after Middle Low German weddersins, weddersinnes (“in the opposite direction”), from Middle High German widdersinnes (“in the opposite direction”, literally “contrary to reason”), from wider (“opposite”) + sinnes, genitive of sin (“course”). Compare also Old English wiþers?enes (“backwards, withershins”), Icelandic viðer (“against”), Danish veder, Swedish veder. More at wither, sense.

Adverb

withershins (not comparable)

1. Anti-clockwise, in the contrary direction, especially to the left or opposite to the direction of the sun.

Antonyms

• deiseal

English

Etymology

anti- +? clockwise

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ænti?kl?k.wa?z/
• (US) enPR: ?n't?kläk?w?z, ?n't?kläk?w?z, IPA^(key): /?ænti?kl?kwa?z/, /?ænta??kl?kwa?z/

Adjective

anticlockwise (not comparable)

1. (South Africa, AU, New Zealand, Britain, of movement) in a circular fashion so as to be moving to the left at the top of the circle and to the right at the bottom (when viewed from the front), in the opposite direction to the way the hands of an analogue clock move.

Synonyms

• counterclockwise (US) / counter-clockwise (US), laevorotatory (chemistry, UK) / levorotatory (chemistry, US), positive (geometry)

Antonyms

• clockwise

Translations

Adverb

anticlockwise (not comparable)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, Britain) In an anticlockwise fashion.

Synonyms

• counterclockwise (US) / counter-clockwise (US), widdershins / withershins (particularly on a sundial)
• in a counterclockwise direction (US), in an anticlockwise direction (UK, South Africa, AU, NZ)

Antonyms

• clockwise

Translations