Where does “northwesterly” come from?
Northwesterly derives from English northwest, which combines north from Old English norþ, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁en, meaning to go in or below.
northwesterly (English): situated in, or pointing to, the northwest;...
Definitions
- situated in, or pointing to, the northwest;...
Ancestry of “northwesterly”, step by step
northwesterly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English North
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | North | Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie |
| 2 | French | Nord | north |
| 3 | Middle French | nord | north |
| 4 | Old French | nort | north |
| 5 | Old English | norþ | north |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nurþrą | north, northern; north, northward |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | nurþraz | north, northern |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | *nér | below the surface, below |
via English westerly
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | westerly | Situated in the west; Coming from the west;... |