southwest

[ south-west; Nautical sou-west ]

/ ˌsaʊθˈwɛst; Nautical ˌsaʊˈwɛst /

noun

the point or direction midway between south and west. Abbreviation: SW

a region in this direction.

the Southwest, the southwest region of the United States.

adjective

lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the southwest.

coming from the southwest, as a wind.

adverb

in the direction midway between south and west.

Nearby words

Origin of southwest

before 900; Middle English; Old English sūthwest. See south, west

Related formssouth·west·ern, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for southwestern

Virtually all the southwestern gangs of Mexican heritage (Surenos or Southsiders) are under their control.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs|Seth Ferranti|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Languishing in a prison cell in southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, 21-year-old Razie Ebrahimi awaits her date with the gallows.
Iran to Hang Abused Child Bride|Nina Strochlic|June 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nestled here, in the southwestern corner of the compound, is a heap of crumbling concrete.
Pablo Escobar’s Private Prison Is Now Run by Monks for Senior Citizens|Jeff Campagna|June 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
President Xi Jinping joked that the air in Guizhou, a southwestern province, was so pure that it should be put up for sale.
The Chinese Can’t Catch Their Breath|Brendon Hong|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The Gigafactory would be built somewhere in the southwestern U.S., and could employ up to 6,500 people.
Tesla Looks Like a Bubble, Will It Pop?|Daniel Gross|March 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lee emigrated from the southwestern states, and immediately became a leader in Oregon politics.
Early Western Travels 1748-1846, Volume XXX|Joel Palmer
Toward the southwestern portion of the lake is Wizard Island, 845 feet high, circular in shape, and slightly covered with timber.
Oregon, Washington and Alaska; Sights and Scenes for the Tourist.|E. L. Lomax
Summer resident; not uncommon locally; found only in southwestern part of the State.
Birds of the Rockies|Leander Sylvester Keyser
For the most part, the production has always been confined to southern India in the elevated region near the southwestern coast.
All About Coffee|William H. Ukers
Parallel with the southeastern and southwestern palisades rifle pits were dug.
Colonel Washington|Archer Butler Hulbert

British Dictionary definitions for southwestern (1 of 2)

southwest

/ (ˌsaʊθˈwɛst, nautical ˌsaʊˈwɛst) /

noun

the point of the compass or the direction midway between west and south, 225° clockwise from north

(often cap usually preceded by the) any area lying in or towards this direction

adjective Also: southwestern

(sometimes capital) of or denoting the southwestern part of a specified country, area, etcsouthwest Italy

situated in or towards the southwest

(esp of the wind) from the southwest

adverb

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

Symbol: SW

Derived Formssouthwesternmost, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for southwestern (2 of 2)

Southwest

/ (ˌsaʊθˈwɛst) /

noun

the Southwest the southwestern part of Britain, esp Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset

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

Word Origin and History for southwestern (1 of 2)

southwestern

adj.

Old English suðwesterne; see southwest + -ern. In reference to a section of the U.S., from 1806, when it meant "Mississippi and Alabama."

Word Origin and History for southwestern (1 of 2)

southwest

adv.

Old English suð-west; see south + west. As a noun from early 12c. Related: Southwester; southwesterly.