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

The Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice across central and northwest Scotland is in place until 09:00 GMT.

From BBC

Temple Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue in West Bloomfield Township about 20 miles northwest of Detroit.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the Islam Qala crossing point in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Talibshah, who did not to give his family name, said he had been working in agriculture northwest of Tehran.

From Barron's

Kpler said one tanker called the Skywave bound for China took on oil last week from Iran’s Kharg Island, a small enclave in the Gulf’s far northwest where most of Iran’s crude is shipped.

From The Wall Street Journal

The couple settled in Montecito, a coastal haven 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles near Santa Barbara.

From The Wall Street Journal