noun

north

nawth

noun

The direction to the left when facing the sunrise; one of the four cardinal directions.

"The compass needle points to the north."

"They drove north for three hours before stopping."

adjective

Situated in or facing the north; northern.

"They live on the north side of the city."

adverb

Toward the north.

"The birds migrate north in the spring."

How to Use North

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOne of the four main compass directions, opposite south.

Common pairings

head north up north north of the border due north

Word Forms

further north comparative, farther north comparative, northed past tense, Norths plural, norths singular, furthest north superlative, farthest north superlative

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The compass needle points to the _____.

Etymology

From Old English "norþ," ultimately from a very old Indo-European root meaning roughly "below" or "underneath" — probably because early speakers pictured the sun as being "below" when in the northern sky, or because north lay to the left when facing the rising sun to pray.

Synonyms

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boreal septentrional

Antonyms

south austral meridional

Related Words

south cold southern northern Dixie

Rhymes for north

birth earth Perth berth girth firth mirth worth forth garth Darth fourth

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boreal septentrional south austral meridional cold southern northern Dixie