northwest

[ nawrth-west; Nautical nawr-west ]

noun
  1. a point on the compass midway between north and west. Abbreviation: NW

  2. a region in this direction.

  1. the Northwest,

    • the northwestern part of the United States, especially Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

    • the northwestern part of the United States when its western boundary was the Mississippi River.

    • the northwestern part of Canada.

adjective
  1. coming from the northwest: a northwest wind.

  2. directed toward the northwest: sailing a northwest course.

adverb
  1. from the northwest.

  2. toward the northwest: sailing northwest.

Origin of northwest

1
before 900; Middle English, Old English; see north, west

Other words from northwest

  • northwestern, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use northwest in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for northwest (1 of 3)

northwest

/ (ˌnɔːθˈwɛst, nautical ˌnɔːˈwɛst) /


noun
  1. the point of the compass or direction midway between north and west, 315° clockwise from north

  2. the northwest (often capital) any area lying in or towards this direction

adjectiveAlso: northwestern
  1. (sometimes capital) of or denoting the northwestern part of a specified country, area, etc: northwest Greenland

adjective, adverb
  1. in, to, towards, or (esp of the wind) from the northwest

  • Symbol: NW

Derived forms of northwest

  • northwesternmost, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for North West (2 of 3)

North West

noun
  1. a province in N South Africa, created in 1994 from the NE part of Cape Province and part of Transvaal: agriculture and service industries. Capital: Mafikeng. Pop: 3 807 469 (2004 est). Area: 116 320 sq km (44 911 sq miles)

British Dictionary definitions for Northwest (3 of 3)

Northwest

/ (ˌnɔːθˈwɛst) /


nounthe Northwest
  1. the northwestern part of England, esp Lancashire and the Lake District

  2. the northwestern part of the US, consisting of the states of Washington, Oregon, and sometimes Idaho

  1. (in Canada) the region north and west of the Great Lakes

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012