northerly

American  

[nawr-ther-lee] / ˈnɔr ðər li /

adjective

1. moving, directed, or situated toward the north.

2. (especially of a wind) coming from the north.

   a northerly gale.

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adverb

1. toward the north.

2. from the north.

noun

northerlies plural

1. a wind that blows from the north.

northerly British  

/ ˈnɔːðəlɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or situated in the north

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adverb

1. towards or in the direction of the north

2. from the north

   a northerly wind

noun

1. a wind from the north

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• northerliness
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• northerlies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of northerly

1545–55; north + -erly, modeled on easterly

Example Sentences

And it was the site of the UK's most northerly deep coal mine, before the last shafts closed in the 1970s.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Winds from a general northerly tap into air that is still fairly cold in and around the Arctic.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Next week could bring even chillier weather as winds from a general northerly direction start to dominate.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Mike Pratt, CEO of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, thinks England's most northerly county "must be up there with a good chance".

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Nor does it matter if you live in the most remote corner of the most northerly province in Canada.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell