northwest

American  

[nawrth-west, nawr-west] / ˌnɔrθˈwɛst, ˌnɔrˈwɛst /

noun

1. a point on the compass midway between north and west. NW

2. a region in this direction.

3. the Northwest,

   1. the northwestern part of the United States, especially Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

   2. the northwestern part of the United States when its western boundary was the Mississippi River.

   3. the northwestern part of Canada.

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adjective

1. coming from the northwest.

   a northwest wind.

2. directed toward the northwest.

   sailing a northwest course.

adverb

1. from the northwest.

2. toward the northwest.

   sailing northwest.

northwest ¹ British  

/ ˌnɔːθˈwɛst, ˌnɔːˈwɛst /

noun

1. the point of the compass or direction midway between north and west, 315° 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 northwestern part of a specified country, area, etc

   northwest Greenland

adjective

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

Northwest ² British  

/ ˌnɔːθˈwɛst /

noun

1. the northwestern part of England, esp Lancashire and the Lake District

2. the northwestern part of the US, consisting of the states of Washington, Oregon, and sometimes Idaho

3. (in Canada) the region north and west of the Great Lakes

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Other Word Forms

• northwestern adjective
• northwesternmost adjective

Etymology

Origin of northwest

before 900; Middle English, Old English; north, west

Example Sentences

Smith is championing a new crude pipeline to British Columbia’s northwest coast to reach Asian buyers, and the Alberta government intends to submit a formal application to Ottawa this spring.

From The Wall Street Journal

Located about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles in Santa Clarita, it was a place you may have never heard of before its closing.

From Los Angeles Times

Flights were cancelled at airports including Liverpool in northwest England, Aberdeen and Inverness in northeast Scotland, and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

From Barron's

These rustic spring pools are about 95 miles northwest of L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

The National Weather Service also issued a flood advisory Saturday for the Santa Clarita Valley and the mountains in northwest L.A.

From Los Angeles Times