noun
southerly
SUH-thuh-lee
noun
1
A wind blowing from the south.
"A cold southerly swept across the plains."
adjective
1
Facing, moving toward, or coming from the south.
"They took a southerly route to avoid the mountains."
How to Use Southerly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishToward or from the south — often used for wind direction.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "southern," which describes a fixed location rather than direction or movement.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
more southerly comparative, more southerly comparative, southerlies plural, most southerly superlative, most southerly superlative
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A cold _____ swept across the plains.
Etymology
From souther + the adjective/adverb suffix -ly.