northwesterly
LowNeutral to Formal. Most common in technical contexts (meteorology, navigation) and descriptive or literary prose.
Definition
Meaning
Coming from the northwest; situated in or directed towards the northwest.
Used to describe the direction, origin, or position of something relative to the northwest point of the compass. It is commonly applied to winds, routes, and geographical locations.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an adjective and adverb. As an adjective, it describes direction or origin (e.g., a northwesterly wind). As an adverb, it describes movement or direction (e.g., travelling northwesterly). The term inherently combines directional information (northwest) with a relational suffix (-erly), making it specific.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Minor potential difference in the frequency of usage for describing winds in public weather forecasts (some regional variations exist).
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English for describing winds. In both dialects, it carries a precise, technical connotation.
Frequency
Low frequency in both dialects. Possibly slightly higher in UK due to frequent maritime and meteorological reporting.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a/the + northwesterly + noun (wind)verb + in + a + northwesterly + directiontravel/move/blow + northwesterlyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. This is a technical directional term.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in logistics ('a northwesterly supply route') or market trend analysis (metaphorical).
Academic
Common in geography, meteorology, and environmental science papers to describe precise wind patterns or migration routes.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual speech. Most likely in weather discussions ('a cold northwesterly wind').
Technical
Standard terminology in meteorology (wind direction), aviation (heading), and navigation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not used as a verb.
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The storm is moving northwesterly at about 20 knots.
- We sailed northwesterly for two days to reach the harbour.
American English
- The front is progressing northwesterly towards the state line.
- The birds migrate northwesterly each spring.
adjective
British English
- A persistent northwesterly gale is forecast for the Scottish coast.
- They set off on a northwesterly bearing across the moor.
American English
- A strong northwesterly flow will bring cooler air to the Midwest.
- The plane's northwesterly track took it over the Great Lakes.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The wind is northwesterly today.
- The weather report says a northwesterly wind will bring rain.
- We adjusted our course to a more northwesterly direction to avoid the storm system.
- The climatological study identified a shift in the prevailing northwesterly winds over the past decade.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"NorthWESTerly - it's a wind that comes from the NorthWest, telling you where it's been."
Conceptual Metaphor
Direction as a source or origin (e.g., 'challenges from a northwesterly direction' meaning unexpected challenges).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with просто 'северо-западный', which is 'northwestern' (static position). 'Northwesterly' emphasizes direction/origin. The '-erly' suffix is key.
- In Russian, the adverbial form 'в северо-западном направлении' is often needed to capture the meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'northwesterly' as a noun to mean a northwest wind is rare and stylistically marked. The noun is typically 'northwester' or 'northwest wind'.
- Confusing 'northwesterly' (direction/origin) with 'northwestern' (relative location, e.g., northwestern France).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'northwesterly' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Northwesterly' describes direction, movement, or origin from the northwest. 'Northwestern' describes a static location in the northwest part of an area (e.g., northwestern France).
Rarely and only in informal or poetic contexts to mean 'a northwesterly wind'. The standard nouns are 'northwester' or 'northwest wind'.
No, it's a low-frequency word. It is most common in technical fields like meteorology, navigation, and geography.
In British English, it's /-əli/. In American English, it's /-ərli/. The stress is always on the second syllable: 'north-WEST-erly'.