Withershins
Alternative forms
Origin
From - + 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. Compare also Old English wiþersīenes ("backwards, withershins"), Icelandic viðer ("against"), Danish and Swedish veder. More at wither, sense.
Full definition of withershins
Adverb
withershins
- Anti-clockwise, in the contrary direction, especially to the left or opposite to the direction of the sun.