north
- 1The direction on your left when you face east.
The cold wind came from the north.
Use the compass to find north before you start walking.
UsageSay in the north of a country, or to the north of it.
Oppositesouth
- 2
- 3In the direction of the north.
The geese fly north every spring.
Our town is about ten miles north of the lake.
UsageSay go north, and ten miles north of town.
Similarnorthward, northwards
- 4The northern part of a country, such as the northern US states or the north of England.
In Italy, people from the North often cook with rice and butter.
My grandparents moved from Chennai to the North to be near the mountains.
UsageUse the, as in the North. Some writing styles use the north.
OppositeSouth
- 5The country of North Korea, in the northern part of Korea.
Leaders from Seoul and the North met to talk about peace.
The North tested another missile, and South Korea said it was worried.
OppositeSouth
- 6Going or pointing toward the north.
The boat kept a north course all night.
Take the north road out of town and keep going until you reach the lake.
Similarnorthbound, northward, northerly
Oppositesouth, southbound, southward
Less common meanings
- 7More than a certain amount, used with of.
Tickets for the final cost north of $500.
That old car must have north of 200,000 miles on it.
UsageOften used with money: north of $500. Add well to mean much more: well north of $500.
Oppositesouth
Note
- 8The northern side in the American Civil War, also called the Union.
The North had more factories and railroads than the South.
Her great-great-grandfather fought for the North at Gettysburg.
SimilarUnion
OppositeSouth, Confederacy
Note
- 9The direction of going up, as when prices or other numbers get bigger.
Our test scores are finally heading north.
Ticket sales for the school play are heading north this year.
UsageSay prices are heading north when they go up.
Oppositesouth
- 10
- 11Northern Ireland, the northern part of the island of Ireland.
My cousins live in the North, just over the border from Donegal.
Fans from the North and the South cheered together for Ireland's rugby team.
OppositeSouth
- 12The world's richer, developed countries thought of as one group, most of them north of the equator.
Leaders from the North and the South met to talk about climate change.
Many people think trade rules favor the North over poorer countries.
OppositeSouth
Note
- 13The positive end of a magnet, which turns to point toward the Earth's far north.
- 14In a church, the direction to your left when you face the altar.
- 15On or toward the left side of a church when you face the altar.
- 16To head north, or to turn so you face north.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
It comes from Old English norþ, which goes back to a very old root meaning "below".
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- North comes from Old English norþ. en.wiktionary.org
- Its ancestry includes an ancient root meaning below. en.wiktionary.org
These regional names, and most of these place names, come from the direction north.
Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
- Regional names North derive from the cardinal direction north. en.wiktionary.org