northern
NAW-thuhn
Northern (adjective) means Situated in, facing, or coming from the north. Example: “The northern side of the hill stays cold and shaded all winter.”
adjective
1
Situated in, facing, or coming from the north.
"The northern side of the hill stays cold and shaded all winter."
"They spent the summer touring northern Italy."
"A cold northern wind swept across the plains."
noun
1
A person from a northern region.
"The northerners at the match brought warm coats even in summer."
"Visitors said the northerners they met were friendly and welcoming."
"As a northerner, he found the southern summers unbearably hot."
How to use northern
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOf, from, or related to the north.
Common pairings
northern hemisphere
northern lights
the northern coast
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like northern.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- northerns
- Comparative
- more northern
- Superlative
- most northern, northernmost
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ side of the hill stays cold and shaded all winter.
Etymology
From Old English "norþerne," ultimately built from "north" plus a Germanic ending meaning "of that direction."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “northern” mean?
The word “northern” means situated in, facing, or coming from the north. In plain terms, of, from, or related to the north.
How do you pronounce “northern”?
“Northern” is pronounced NAW-thuhn (/ˈnɔɹ.ðɚn/ in IPA).
How do you use “northern” in a sentence?
Here is “northern” used in a sentence: “They spent the summer touring northern Italy.”
What is another word for “northern”?
Words with a similar meaning to “northern” include boreal and septentrional.
What is the opposite of “northern”?
The opposite of “northern” — its antonyms — are austral, meridional and southern.
What part of speech is “northern”?
Depending on how it is used, “northern” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “northern” come from?
The word “northern” comes from Old English. From Old English "norþerne," ultimately built from "north" plus a Germanic ending meaning "of that direction.".
Is “northern” a common word?
“Northern” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between 'northern' and 'northerly'?
'Northern' describes something located in or belonging to the north, such as northern Europe. 'Northerly' describes direction or movement toward the north, or — especially with wind — coming from the north. So a northerly wind blows from the north, while a northern town simply sits in the north.
Is 'northern' capitalized?
Usually it is lowercase, as in 'the northern coast.' It takes a capital N only when part of a proper name, such as Northern Ireland, the Northern Hemisphere, or the Northern Lights. If you are describing a general direction or region, keep it lowercase.
What is the opposite of 'northern'?
The opposite is 'southern,' describing what lies in or comes from the south. The four directional adjectives — northern, southern, eastern, and western — each point to their part of the compass. So the northern edge of a country faces the opposite way from its southern edge.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include northern:
