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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

• northeastern
  adjective
• northeasternmost
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of northeast

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

Example Sentences

“It seems that this rupture was directed from southwest to northeast, and then completely east,” stopping just short of the port city of La Guaira, north of Caracas, Schmitz said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2026

Researchers plan to continue investigating the Altar Stone's origins by identifying its precise source location in northeast Scotland and exploring the routes prehistoric people may have used to transport it.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

“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 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

Bando lines up the state map with north and, placing his compass approximately on the swamp creek, turns the housing to 70 degrees, or east by northeast.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George