westerly

1 of 2

adjective or adverb

west·​er·​ly ˈwe-stər-lē How to pronounce westerly (audio)
1
: situated toward or belonging to the west
the westerly end of the farm
2
: coming from the west
a westerly breeze

westerly

2 of 2

noun

plural westerlies
: a wind from the west

Examples of westerly 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
That’s because of a weather system in Canada and the U.S. East Coast that is pushing the westerly winds that are common in mid-latitudes down to where Milton is, where autumn wind from the west is less common. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024 America’s flyers took off from Seattle on April 6, taking a westerly route, and were scheduled to arrive in Chicago on Sept. 13 amid a triumphant home leg of their journey. Andrew Johnston, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2024
Noun
First, through a combination of weaker trade winds and westerlies over the tropical Atlantic, La Niña tends to create a more placid atmosphere. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 20 May 2024 Their modest city saw an influx of evacuees from nearby rural and coastal regions soon after hot westerlies sent walls of flame into a string of towns and villages around New Year's Eve. NBC News, 11 Jan. 2020 See all Example Sentences for westerly 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective or adverb

obsolete wester western

First Known Use

Adjective Or Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of westerly was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near westerly

Cite this Entry

“Westerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/westerly. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

westerly

1 of 2 adverb or adjective
west·​er·​ly ˈwes-tər-lē How to pronounce westerly (audio)
1
: toward the west
the ship sailed westerly
a westerly direction
2
: from the west
the wind blew westerly
a westerly breeze

westerly

2 of 2 noun
plural westerlies
: a wind blowing from the west

Geographical Definition

Westerly

geographical name

Wes·​ter·​ly ˈwe-stər-lē How to pronounce Westerly (audio)
town in southwestern Rhode Island on the border with Connecticut population 17,936
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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