north-northwest

noun

north-north·​west ˈnȯrth-ˌnȯr(th)-ˈwest How to pronounce north-northwest (audio)
: a compass point that is two points west of due north : N22°30′W

Examples of north-northwest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Erick once had Category 4 strength The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Erick was centered about 155 kilometers (95 miles) north-northwest of Acapulco Thursday night. Luis Alberto Cruz, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 Winds will shift from the southwest to north-northwest overnight Friday into Saturday, with gusts up to 23 mph expected both nights. Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 20 June 2025 The hurricane’s center was located about 60 miles north-northwest of Punta Maldonado around midday. Luis Alberto Cruz, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025 When given the sky, but still deprived of magnetic information, the moths overwhelmingly flew in the correct, migratory direction according to the season: north-northwest in fall, southwards in spring. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 18 June 2025 On February 13, 2025, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck near Avenal, approximately six miles north-northwest of the city. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025 Relative humidity was expected to be 25 percent or less, with north-northwest winds blowing at 5 mph to 10 mph. David Faris, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025 The strongest of those was a 4.3 magnitude that struck 6 miles north-northwest of Avenal at approximately 4:17 p.m. on February 13. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025 The quake epicenter was 2 miles north-northwest of Cobb, a small community in the hills south of Clear Lake. Daniel Hunt, Sacramento Bee, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of north-northwest was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“North-northwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/north-northwest. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on north-northwest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!