southerly

1 of 2

adjective or adverb

south·​er·​ly ˈsə-t͟hər-lē 

1

: situated toward or belonging to the south

the southerly shore of the lake

2

: coming from the south

a southerly wind

southerly

2 of 2

noun

plural southerlies

: a wind from the south

Examples of southerly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective or adverb

Weekend forecast With the southerly air flow from the Gulf of Mexico overnight, moisture has increased across the region, allowing some dense patchy fog to develop through mid-morning. —Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026

Sunny skies and southerly winds on Tuesday and Wednesday will result in warmer-than-average temperatures. —Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026

Noun

This was a southerly trajectory launch. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026

In the meantime, southerly winds from Friday onward will continue funneling Gulf Coast atmospheric moisture into Central Texas, which might help ease the wildfire threat through early next week. —Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective or adverb

south entry 3 + -erly (as in easterly)

First Known Use

Adjective Or Adverb

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for southerly

• brotherly
• motherly

Kids Definition

southerly

adverb or adjective

south·​er·​ly

ˈsət͟h-ər-lē

1

: toward the south

2

: coming from the south