What does farside mean?
Farside is a noun denoting the side of an object or area that lies furthest from the viewer or from a given reference point. It is used most prominently in astronomy and space science, where the farside of the Moon refers to the hemisphere permanently turned away from Earth because the Moon's rotation is tidally locked to its orbit. Beyond this technical use, the word can describe the remote or opposite side of any landscape, structure, or barrier — the farside of a hill, a wall, or a room. The term carries a neutral, descriptive tone rather than any emotional connotation. In everyday English the two-word phrase "far side" is far more frequent, while the single-word compound is largely confined to scientific and technical prose. Its enduring association with lunar exploration gives the word a distinctly modern, exploratory flavour whenever it appears.
nounThe side of something that is furthest away from the observer or from a point of reference; the remote or opposite side of an object or area.
- The side of an object, especially a celestial body such as the Moon, that faces away from the observer.
- The more distant or opposite side of an area, barrier, or space.
"A spacecraft relay was needed to send signals from the farside of the Moon back to Earth."
"China's Chang'e 4 became the first probe to land on the farside of the Moon."
"We crossed the river and rested on the farside before continuing the hike."
Rarely used in the plural; the word almost always appears in the singular because it typically refers to the single remote side of one object.
"Photographic surveys revealed the farsides of both moons for the first time."
The farside of the Moon is never visible from Earth — yet humans have known its craters better than most of the deep ocean floor.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of farside
Farside combines "far," from Old English feorr meaning distant or remote, with "side," from Old English sīde meaning the flank or lateral part of a body or object. Both elements are of Germanic origin, and cognates appear across the Germanic language family, such as Old High German ferro for "far." The compound arose in English as a straightforward descriptive formation, gaining particular currency in the twentieth century once spacecraft made it possible to observe the Moon's hidden hemisphere directly.
How farside is actually used
In general writing and speech, the two-word form "far side" is considerably more common; the solid compound "farside" appears chiefly in astronomical and technical literature. The word is neutral in register.
Easily confused with farside
"Far side" is the standard two-word spelling in most contexts, while "farside" as one word is a less common closed compound often used in technical or astronomical writing.