southwest

1. 1
   noununcountable

   The intercardinal compass point lying midway between west and south, at a bearing of exactly 225°.

   The compass needle settled on southwest as we rounded the headland.

   Their farm lies to the southwest, just past the river bend.

   Oppositenortheast

   Note

   Old English simply joined its two directions: sūþwest, alongside the longer sūþanwestan, is south plus west. Its Germanic relatives are built the same way: Dutch zuidwest, German Südwesten, Swedish sydväst. As a bearing it is exact at 225°, and the point directly opposite is northeast. As a place it takes the article: a boundary lies "off to the southwest" in W. B. M. Ferguson's Zollenstein (1908).

2. 2
   adjective

   Relating to, located in, or characteristic of the southwest.

   The southwest counties share a distinct culinary tradition.

   Much of the country's oil comes from its southwest provinces.

   Similarsouthwestern

   Oppositenortheastern, northeast

3. 3
   adverb

   In the direction of the southwest, or moving that way.

   The trail bends southwest after the old mill.

   They sailed southwest for three days before sighting land.

   Similarsouthwestward, southwestwards

   Oppositenortheast, northeastward

4. 4
   adjective

   Situated toward or facing the direction of the southwest.

   The building's southwest wall takes the brunt of the afternoon heat.

   Choose a southwest slope for vines that need long sun exposure.

   Similarsouthwesterly, southwestward

   Oppositenortheast, northeasterly

5. 5
   adjective

   Blowing or coming from the direction of the southwest.

   A strong southwest gale battered the harbor overnight.

   Sailors welcomed the steady southwest wind on the return voyage.

   Similarsouthwesterly

   Oppositenortheast, northeasterly

   Note

   Here the direction runs backward. A southwest wind blows out of the southwest, while the "toward" adjective sends a southwest course into it. The phrase has the same shape in both cases but points opposite ways, so the noun decides: a wind takes this sense, a course or heading the other. Southwesterly carries the same double meaning, so swapping it in does not remove the ambiguity.

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