southerly

1 of 2

adjective or adverb

south·​er·​ly ˈsə-t͟hər-lē How to pronounce southerly (audio)
1
: situated toward or belonging to the south
the southerly shore of the lake
2
: coming from the south
a southerly wind

southerly

2 of 2

noun

plural southerlies
: a wind from the south

Examples of southerly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective or adverb
The original Pan Am southerly transatlantic route, which departed from Port Washington, New York, stopped in the Azores, Lisbon and Marseille. Zach Wichter, USA Today, 18 June 2025 Topline The most southerly full moon for 19 years — the strawberry moon — rose late at night into twilight skies on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Noun
If southerly breezes kick up a bit during the early morning hours, warmest spots may hover in the upper 40s. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2022 A couple of afternoon southerly breezes could gust around 15 mph. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 See All Example Sentences for southerly

Word History

Etymology

Adjective or adverb

south entry 3 + -erly (as in easterly)

First Known Use

Adjective Or Adverb

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of southerly was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Southerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southerly. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

southerly

adverb or adjective
south·​er·​ly
ˈsət͟h-ər-lē
1
: toward the south
2
: coming from the south

More from Merriam-Webster on southerly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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