Koillinen

Koillinen is a Finnish term meaning the northeast, the direction between north and east. It functions as both a noun and an adjective and is written in lowercase in ordinary text (for example, koillinen suunta means the northeast direction). In Finnish, the eight-point compass system names directions such as pohjoinen (north), itä (east), länsi (west), etelä (south), and the intercardinal direction koillinen (northeast). The word is widely used in everyday language as well as in geography, navigation, and meteorology.

In cartography and geography, koillinen denotes a geographic quadrant or bearing toward the northeast on a map. It is common in descriptions of locations, routes, and regional orientation, especially when directions are needed without specifying an exact degree. In meteorology and weather forecasting, koillinen describes winds or weather patterns coming from the northeast, and compounds such as koillinen tuuli (northeast wind) are used in everyday reporting.

Etymology and usage notes: koillinen is a native Finnish word formed with the directional stem and the suffix -nen, which is used to create adjectives and nouns describing a relation or attribute. It is closely related to other Finnish directional terms and follows standard Finnish capitalization rules, remaining lowercase unless it begins a sentence or is part of a proper noun. The term is applicable across disciplines that involve spatial description, orientation, and climatology.

See also: Finnish directions, compass directions, meteorology, navigation.