Southwest

UK: /ˌsaʊθˈwɛst/

US: /ˌsaʊθˈwɛst/

US: (south′west′; Naut. sou′west′)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Southwest / ˌsaʊθˈwɛst/ noun

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

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

south•west /ˌsaʊθˈwɛst/   n. 

[countable* singular;
often: the + ~]
1. Geography, Nautical, Naval Terms the point or direction midway between south and west. Abbr.: SW
2. Geography a region in this direction.
3. Place Names the Southwest, the southwest region of the United States.

adj. 

4. Nautical, Naval Terms in, toward, or facing the southwest.
5. coming from the southwest:
   a southwest wind.

adv. 

6. Nautical, Naval Terms toward the southwest:
   sailing southwest.
7. from the southwest.

south•west•er•ly, adj., adv. 
south•west•ern, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

south•west  (south′west′; Naut. sou′west′), n. 

1. Geography, Nautical, Naval Terms the point or direction midway between south and west. Abbr.: SW
2. Geography a region in this direction.
3. Place Names the Southwest, the southwest region of the United States.

adj. 

4. Nautical, Naval Terms lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the southwest.
5. coming from the southwest, as a wind.

adv. 

6. Nautical, Naval Terms in the direction midway between south and west.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English sūthwest. See south, west

south′west′ern, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

southwest / ˌsaʊθˈwɛst ˌsaʊˈwɛst/ noun

1. the point of the compass or the direction midway between west and south, 225° clockwise from north
2. (often capital) usually preceded by the: any area lying in or towards this direction

adjective
also: southwestern

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

ˌsouthˈwesternmost adjective