southwestern

adjective south·west·ern \ sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stərn \

Definition of southwestern

1 :lying toward or coming from the southwest

2 often capitalized :of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated Southwest

—

southwesternmost

play \sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stərn-ˌmōst\ adjective

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Recent Examples of southwestern from the Web

As newborns, they were placed in the same orphanage in Zhenjiang, in the southwestern end of Guangdong province.

— catherine laughlin, Philly.com, "Adopted 20 years ago in China, girls continue to bond at annual reunion," 30 Aug. 2017
On September 6, 1791, Robert Johnson, a tax collector, approached Pigeon Creek, an area along the Monongahela River in southwestern Pennsylvania.

— carrie hagen, Smithsonian, "The First Presidential Pardon Pitted Alexander Hamilton Against George Washington," 29 Aug. 2017
In August, police in southwestern Switzerland found the remains of a German hiker who went missing three decades ago in the Hohlaub glacier.

— colleen barry, The Seattle Times, "Melting Mont Blanc glacier yields remains of dead hikers," 25 Aug. 2017
His trip Wednesday to the state’s southwestern city of Springfield is expected to be the first of several stops around the country in the coming weeks, said the official, who asked not to be identified because the details were still under review.

— alexis leondis, Bloomberg.com, "Mnuchin Says He Was ‘Wrong’ About a Tax Overhaul by August," 25 Aug. 2017
Police and witnesses say that Mr. Mechkah used two knives to attack women in the center of Turku, a city of 180,000 in southwestern Finland, on Friday afternoon.

— mari-leena kuosa and sewell chan, New York Times, "Moroccan Man Admits Deadly Stabbing Attack in Finland," 22 Aug. 2017
The system has more than 50 outpatient locations in Chicago's western and southwestern suburbs, according to its website.

— bill bird, Naperville Sun, "Edward Hospital health group to cut $50M from budget," 15 Aug. 2017
Southwestern 9-4 Others receiving votes: South Warren, Whitley County, Highlands, Madison Southern, North Bullitt, North Laurel, Graves County, Dixie Heights, Harlan County, Anderson County, South Laurel.

— james weber, Cincinnati.com, "Beechwood preseason favorite in 1A state poll," 11 Aug. 2017
Of course, all cod dishes are traditionally Portuguese, and as inhabitants of Portugal have migrated over the French border, the fish has become a staple of our southwestern cuisine.

— daniel boulud, ELLE Decor, "3 Timeless French Recipes From France's Most Admired Chefs," 9 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'southwestern.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of southwestern

Middle English, from Old English sūth-westerne, from sūth south + westerne western

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First Known Use: before 12th century

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SOUTHWESTERN Defined for English Language Learners

southwestern

adjective

Definition of southwestern for English Language Learners

: in, toward, or from the southwest
: of or relating to the southwest

SOUTHWESTERN Defined for Kids

southwestern

adjective south·west·ern \ sau̇th-ˈwe-stərn \

Definition of southwestern for Students

1 often capitalized :of, relating to, or like that of the Southwest

southwestern art

2 :lying toward or coming from the southwest

the southwestern part of the country

Learn More about southwestern

Spanish Central: Translation of southwestern Nglish: Translation of southwestern for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of southwestern for Arabic speakers

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southwestern

Definition of southwestern

southwesternmost

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SOUTHWESTERN Defined for English Language Learners

southwestern

Definition of southwestern for English Language Learners

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southwestern

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southwestern

Definition of southwestern

southwesternmost

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