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• northeast
  northeast

  noun

  a point on the compass midway between north and east. NE
• Northeast
  Northeast

  noun

  the northeastern part of England, esp Northumberland, Durham, and the Tyneside area

northeast

American  

[nawrth-eest, nawr-eest] / ˌnɔrθˈist, ˌnɔrˈist /

noun

1. a point on the compass midway between north and east. NE

2. a region in this direction.

3. the Northeast, the northeastern part of the United States.

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adverb

1. toward or in the northeast.

   sailing northeast.

adjective

1. coming from the northeast.

   a northeast wind.

2. directed toward the northeast.

   a northeast course.

northeast ¹ British  

/ ˌnɔːθˈiːst, ˌnɔːrˈiːst /

noun

1. the point of the compass or direction midway between north and east, 45° clockwise from north

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

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adjective

1. (sometimes capital) of or denoting the northeastern part of a specified country, area, etc

   northeast Lincolnshire

2. situated in, proceeding towards, or facing the northeast

3. (esp of the wind) from the northeast

adverb

1. in, to, towards, or (esp of the wind) from the northeast

Northeast ² British  

/ ˌnɔːθˈiːst /

noun

1. the northeastern part of England, esp Northumberland, Durham, and the Tyneside area

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• northeasternmost
  adjective
• northeastern
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of northeast

before 950; Middle English, Old English; see north, east

Example Sentences

“The first test could come tomorrow and into the weekend where the northeast will see the mercury climb through 90 again,” Tradition Energy’s Gary Cunningham says in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The town hall in Bayside was standing room only ahead of Park’s appearance, with about 140 voters packed into the Hana Adult Day Care center in northeast Queens.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026

The trust said red ruffed lemurs were only found in a small area of the northeast of Madagascar and were "critically endangered".

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Forecasts indicated that the typhoon would pass near Okinawa before turning northeast toward the Amami region around June 1-2.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

“I hid in a cave along the river with some others. We waited until the Long Knives left and then came out. Some of our people fled that way,” she said, pointing northeast.

From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III