ENGLISH
REFERENCE

northwestern

adj. · n.
US //ˌnɔɹθˈwɛstɝn// UK //nɔːθwˈɛstən// north·west·ern
  1. 1 direction or location (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    located in or coming from the direction between north and west.

    pertaining to the northwest; situated in or directed toward the northwest.

    Example

    The northwestern part of the country is famous for its rainy weather.

    Example

    The northwestern provinces experienced an unusually mild winter, which local meteorologists attributed to shifting maritime currents in the Pacific.
  2. 2 regional identity (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    relating to a specific area called the Northwest, like the corner of a country.

    relating to a specific geographic or political region designated as 'Northwest'.

    Example

    She attended a northwestern university before moving to the capital.

    Example

    The candidate focused her campaign on northwestern voters, promising to revitalise the industrial infrastructure of the border regions.

  3. 3 film genre (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Theatre

    a movie or story set in the old days in the northwest part of North America.

    a dramatic work or film subgenre set in the late 19th or early 20th century in the Pacific Northwest or Alaska.

    Example

    The director is famous for making a northwestern about the gold rush.

    Example

    While the classic Western focuses on the desert plains, this northwestern explores the brutal survival of trappers in the frozen Yukon territory.

    Usage

    usually refers to a variation of the 'Western' genre set in colder, forested climates.

Origin

Probably the reflex of Old English *norþwesterne, equivalent to north + western, cognate with or formed similarly to Middle Low German nōrtwestern and Old High German nordwestrōni. Compare earlier northeastern, southeastern, and southwestern.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026