northwest etymology

Etymology:

The term "northwest" is a compound of two Old English words:

• "north": from the Old English word "norþ," meaning "to the left of the rising sun"
• "west": from the Old English word "west," meaning "toward the setting sun"

Meaning:

Northwest refers to the direction that lies between north and west, at an angle of 45 degrees from both. It is one of the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) used to describe the location or movement of objects.

Origin:

The concept of northwest as a direction emerged from the ancient practice of observing the positions of celestial bodies, such as the sun and stars, to determine the cardinal directions. People living in the Northern Hemisphere noticed that the sun rose in the east and set in the west. The point equidistant between these two positions became known as "north." The point perpendicular to north, on the other hand, became known as "west." The direction that lay between these two, forming a diagonal, was thus called "northwest."

The term "northwest" has been used for centuries to describe regions, geographical features, and navigational routes. It is commonly used in meteorology, navigation, and geography, among other fields.

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