northern

American  

[nawr-thern] / ˈnɔr ðərn /

adjective

1. lying toward or situated in the north.

2. directed or proceeding northward.

3. coming from the north, as a wind.

4. Often Northern of or relating to the North, especially the northern United States.

5. Astronomy. north of the celestial equator or of the zodiac.

   a northern constellation.

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noun

1. a person living in a northern region or country.

2. Northern, a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, eight driving wheels, and a four-wheeled rear truck.

northern British  

/ ˈnɔːðən /

adjective

1. situated in or towards the north

   northern towns

2. directed or proceeding towards the north

   a northern flow of traffic

3. (esp of winds) proceeding from the north

4. (sometimes capital) of, relating to, or characteristic of the north or North

5. (sometimes capital) astronomy north of the celestial equator

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Other Word Forms

• northernness noun
• pro-Northern adjective
• unnorthern adjective

Etymology

Origin of northern

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; north, -ern

Example Sentences

A former CIA officer who flipped a swing House district in northern Virginia twice, Spanberger has now been governor of the commonwealth for roughly four months.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

Iraq can send some of its northern crude through a pipeline to Turkey, but most of the country’s oil production comes from its southern fields, which have no inland connection to the pipeline.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

In early January, the seizure of the Russian oil tanker, the Marinera, far out in the northern Atlantic, showed that such operations can be carried out almost anywhere.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

After thousands of contract workers protested outside factories in one northern Indian state last week, the state government increased the minimum wage there by 35%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Ella felt transported to a decadent palace in the northern states of India.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton