Northwestward

Northwestward is a directional term used in English to describe movement, orientation, or location toward the northwest. It functions as an adverb (The wind blew northwestward) and as an adjective (a northwestward route) and is the longer form of the common directional word northwest. In navigation and geography, it denotes a bearing roughly 315 degrees, though in ordinary use the exact angle may be imprecise. In meteorology, it can describe the direction of air masses, winds, or storm tracks moving toward the northwest.

Etymology and usage: The term is formed from north and west with the suffix -ward, following a pattern that yields other forms such as northeastward and southeastward. It is more formal and precise than northwest in some technical contexts, and is sometimes encountered in historical or literary writing. In everyday speech, speakers more often use northwest as an adverb or adjective.

Notes: The opposite forms exist (southeastward, northeastward, etc.). In cartography and navigation guides, northwestward can describe the direction of routes, winds, or streams; in historical texts, northwestward expeditions describe movements toward the northwest.