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northerly

[ nawr-th er-lee ]
/ ˈnɔr ðər li /
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adjective

moving, directed, or situated toward the north.
(especially of a wind) coming from the north: a northerly gale.

adverb

toward the north.
from the north.

noun, plural north·er·lies.

a wind that blows from the north.

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RELATED WORDS

arctic, north, northern, northward, polar

Nearby words

northeastern, northeasterner, northeastward, northeastwards, norther, northerly, northern, northern blot, northern blot analysis, northern bobwhite, northern cameroons

Origin of northerly

1545–55; north + -erly, modeled on easterly
Related formsnorth·er·li·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for northerly

British Dictionary definitions for northerly

northerly

/ (ˈnɔːðəlɪ) /

adjective

of, relating to, or situated in the north

adverb, adjective

towards or in the direction of the north
from the northa northerly wind

noun plural -lies

a wind from the north
Derived Formsnortherliness, noun
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

Word Origin and History for northerly

northerly

adj., adv.

1550s, from northern + -ly (2) on pattern of easterly, westerly.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper