south·west

[south-west; Nautical sou-west]
noun
1.
the point or direction midway between south and west. Abbreviation: SW
2.
a region in this direction.
3.
the southwest region of the United States.
adjective
4.
lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the southwest.
5.
coming from the southwest, as a wind.
00:10
Southwest is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
adverb
6.
in the direction midway between south and west.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English; Old English sūthwest. See south, west

south·west·ern, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To southwest
Collins
World English Dictionary
southwest (ˌsaʊθˈwɛst, nautical ˌsaʊˈwɛst) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n (usually preceded by the)
1.  the point of the compass or the direction midway between west and south, 225° clockwise from north
2.  any area lying in or towards this direction
 
adj
3.  (sometimes capital) of or denoting the southwestern part of a specified country, area, etc: southwest Italy
4.  situated in or towards the southwest
5.  (esp of the wind) from the southwest
 
adv
6.  in, to, towards, or (esp of the wind) from the southwest
 
south'westernmost
 
adj

Southwest (ˌsaʊθˈwɛst) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
the Southwest the southwestern part of Britain, esp Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Low swells from the southwest, scattered am fog, turning to smooth seas and sunny skies by noon.
The tree has thrived in the southwest, crowding out native trees.
Simplicity, for example, is intuitively attractive--Southwest's goal of being the low-fare airline is elegant in its minimalism.
But the southwest-where hot peppers are a dietary staple-has a much lower incidence, half in some places.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT