southeast

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌsaʊθˈiːst/, /ˌsaʊˈiːst/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English south-est, from Old English sūþēast, from south and east.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Toward or from the southeast, as an adverb: Old English in Etymonline, before the 12th century in MWU.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

As a noun, the direction or region to the south and east, it is from about 1300,^[2] and as an adjective, lying toward the southeast, from the late 14th century.^[2] Johnson (1755) records it.^[4] A southeaster, a wind or gale from the southeast, is by 1797.^[2]

Timeline

• Old English – the adverb.^[2]
• c. 1300 – the noun.^[2]
• late 14th century – the adjective.^[2]
• 1797 – southeaster.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The direction or point of the compass halfway between south and east.
2. (the Southeast) The southeastern part of a country or region.

Adjective

1. In, toward or facing the southeast; of a wind, blowing from the southeast.

Adverb

1. Toward the southeast.

Word family

• southeastern
• southeaster
• southwesterly
• southwestern
• south-southwest
• west-southwest
• southwest by west
• southwest by south

Related words

• south
• east
• southwest
• northeast

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.