southwesterly

American

[south-wes-ter-lee, sou-wes-ter-lee] / ˌsaʊθˈwɛs tər li, ˌsaʊˈwɛs tər li /

adjective

toward or from the southwest.

southwesterly British

/ ˌsaʊθˈwɛstəlɪ, ˌsaʊˈwɛstəlɪ /

adjective

in, towards, or (esp of a wind) from the southwest

"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

noun

a wind or storm from the southwest

"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

Etymology

Origin of southwesterly

1700–10; southwest + -erly ( see easterly)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Irish Weather service, Met Éireann, has warned that it will be very windy with strong and gusty southwesterly winds.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

The service said that the storm was bringing “very strong” and “gusty southwesterly winds countrywide with strong gales” as well as high waves along coasts.

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2024

Jones reported a southwesterly front had come through with three hours of heavy rain and high winds.

From Washington Times • Dec. 26, 2023

After nearly a millennium of dormancy, this southwesterly strip of land entered a new volcanic era in March 2021.

From National Geographic • Dec. 19, 2023

It begins blowing southwesterly, that is, away from the Turkish heights and toward the harbor.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023