southwest English · revision 7788

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=before 12th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /saʊθˈwɛst/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[inh|ang|sūþwest|t=to the south-west]], a compound of [[south]] and [[west]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) The noun and adjective developed from the adverb.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Toward a point between south and west: Old English, before the 12th century in MWU.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a noun, the direction or region between south and west, it is from the early 12th century.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) In United States use the Southwest meant Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana by 1835,^(Etymonline) and now generally the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, California and Nevada.^(AHD) In Britain it is the southwestern part of the country, especially Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.^(Collins 2023) The ''southwester'', a storm from the southwest, is by 1833, and as sou'wester a waterproof nautical hat or coat by 1836.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Old English – the adverb.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 12th century – the noun.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1833 – southwester.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1835 – the US Southwest.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The point of the [[compass]] or direction halfway between south and west.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A region lying in the southwest.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(the Southwest)'' The southwestern United States, or the southwest of Britain.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # In, toward or facing the southwest.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Coming from the southwest, as a wind.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # In, from or toward the southwest.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[southwestern]]

+ * [[southwester]]

+ * [[southwesterly]]

+ * [[south-southwest]]

+ * [[west-southwest]]

+ * [[southwest by west]]

+ * [[southwest by south]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[south]]

+ * [[west]]

+ * [[northwest]]

+ * [[southeast]]

+ * [[sou'wester]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Collins notes a nautical pronunciation without the th, /ˌsaʊˈwɛst/.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}