Ponente

Ponente is a term used in Italian and Spanish to designate the western side of something or the western direction. It is commonly paired with Levante, which designates the east or the eastern side. In geographic descriptions, Ponente and Levante provide a simple way to reference opposite sectors of a region, coast, or terrain. The word is also used in meteorology and navigation to indicate winds or currents that originate from the west.

In Italian geography, the Riviera di Ponente refers to the western coast of Liguria, running along the Ligurian Sea roughly from Genoa toward the French border. This contrasts with the Riviera di Levante to the east. Beyond this regional usage, Ponente appears in various place names and descriptions in Italian and Spanish to mark western parts of larger areas.

In meteorology and sailing, ponente (or poniente in Spanish) denotes a west wind or a wind coming from the west. The term is sometimes used in weather reports and nautical contexts to indicate the direction of movement of air and weather systems.

See also: Levante, Riviera di Ponente, Riviera di Levante, west wind.