southwest

[ south-west; Nautical sou-west ]

noun

1. the point or direction midway between south and west. : SW
2. a region in this direction.
3. the Southwest, the southwest region of the United States.

adjective

1. lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the southwest.
2. coming from the southwest, as a wind.

adverb

1. in the direction midway between south and west.

Southwest

¹

/ ˌsaʊθˈwɛst /

noun

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

southwest

²

/ ˌsaʊˈwɛst; ˌsaʊθˈwɛst /

noun

1. the point of the compass or the direction midway between west and south, 225° clockwise from north
2. often capusually preceded bythe any area lying in or towards this direction

adjective

1. sometimes capital of or denoting the southwestern part of a specified country, area, etc

   southwest Italy

2. situated in or towards the southwest
3. (esp of the wind) from the southwest

adverb

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

Derived Forms

• ˌsouthˈwesternmost, adjective

Other Words From

• southwestern adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of southwest¹

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

Example Sentences

It probably didn’t help that much of southwest California was similarly on high alert for fires, included in that elevated red flag warning.

From Los Angeles Times

The National Weather Service issued a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag alert, warning of “widespread, extreme fire weather conditions” through Friday across southwest California.

From Los Angeles Times

County and southwest California, stretching from late Tuesday through Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times

From the northeast to the southwest and for large areas in between, the extreme heat will test human adaptability to its limits.

From Salon

Some streets and residential areas were wrecked as a result of flash-flooding, such as this one in Letur, southwest of Valencia.

From BBC