NORTHERN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Northern mean? 

• NORTHERN (noun)
  The noun NORTHERN has 1 sense:

1. a dialect of Middle English that developed into Scottish Lallans

  Familiarity information: NORTHERN used as a noun is very rare.

• NORTHERN (adjective)
  The adjective NORTHERN has 4 senses:

1. in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

2. situated in or oriented toward the north

3. coming from the north; used especially of wind

4. situated in or coming from regions of the north

  Familiarity information: NORTHERN used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NORTHERN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A dialect of Middle English that developed into Scottish Lallans

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("Northern" is a kind of...):

Middle English (English from about 1100 to 1450)

• NORTHERN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

Context example:

northern cities

Similar:

blue (used to signify the Union forces in the American Civil War (who wore blue uniforms))

Federal; Union (being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the American Civil War)

Yankee (used by Southerners for an inhabitant of a northern state in the United States (especially a Union soldier))

Attribute:

North; Union (the United States (especially the northern states during the American Civil War))

North (the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line)

Antonym:

southern (in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Situated in or oriented toward the north

Synonyms:

northerly; northern

Context example:

going in a northerly direction

Similar:

north (situated in or facing or moving toward or coming from the north)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Coming from the north; used especially of wind

Synonyms:

northerly; northern

Context example:

the winds are northerly

Similar:

north (situated in or facing or moving toward or coming from the north)

Derivation:

northernness (the property of being to the north)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Situated in or coming from regions of the north

Context example:

northern autumn colors

Similar:

boreal; circumboreal (comprising or throughout far northern regions)

north-central (being in or of a region of the United States generally including states of the upper Mississippi valley and Great Lakes region lying north of the Ohio River and the southern boundaries of Kansas and Missouri and between the western boundary of Pennsylvania and the eastern boundaries of Montana and Wyoming and Colorado)

septrional (of northern regions; from the seven stars (or seven plowing oxen) of Ursa Major)

Attribute:

north (a location in the northern part of a country, region, or city)

Antonym:

southern (situated in or coming from regions of the south)

 Context examples 

A state in the northern Rocky Mountains of western United States.

(Idaho, NCI Thesaurus)

During this period, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun and winter snow and ice are still on the ground in the higher latitudes.

(Earthshine, NASA)

In the cities of the northern half of the state, including Porto Alegre, smoke was not noticed due to the large number of clouds.

(Australian bushfire smoke drifts to South America, SciDev.Net)

‘What may you be wantin’?’ she asked, in a Northern accent.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Additionally, there are more craters in the northern hemisphere of Ceres than the south, where the large Urvara and Yalode craters are the dominant features.

(Ceres' Geological Activity, Ice Revealed in New Research, NASA)

It says the most notable temperature rises were across the Northern Hemisphere.

(World Meteorological Org.: Arctic Warming Appears Irreversible, VOA)

Catherine dared not doubt beyond her own country, and even of that, if hard pressed, would have yielded the northern and western extremities.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

On reaching the house, they were shown through the hall into the saloon, whose northern aspect rendered it delightful for summer.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I replied, however, that we were on a voyage of discovery towards the northern pole.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Next, the northern area formed, while the southern region is the youngest.

(SOFIA Reveals How the Swan Nebula Hatched, NASA)