southwesterly

adverb or adjective

south·​west·​er·​ly sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stər-lē 

1

: from the southwest

2

: toward the southwest

Examples of southwesterly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Winds will be light, becoming southwesterly around 6 mph in the afternoon. — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 28 Sep. 2026

Northeastern Minnesota is expected to see conditions ease as southwesterly winds pick up through the day, improving air quality for most of the region by afternoon. — Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 19 July 2026

Overnight lows Monday into Tuesday will be much milder in the mid to upper 50s with a southwesterly breeze. — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 4 May 2026

Later in the week, a low-pressure system should stall to our north, and winds will shift to southwesterly, bringing in hotter temps. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

southwest entry 2 + -erly (as in westerly)

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for southwesterly

• northwesterly

Kids Definition

southwesterly

adverb or adjective

south·​west·​er·​ly sau̇(th)-ˈwes-tər-lē 

1

: from the southwest

2

: toward the southwest