northern

1 of 2

adjective

north·​ern ˈnȯr-t͟hərn How to pronounce northern (audio)
ˈnȯr-t͟hən
1
Northern
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated North
b
: of, relating to, or constituting the northern dialect
2
a
: lying toward the north
b
: coming from the north
a northern storm

northern

2 of 2

noun

1
Northern : the dialect of English spoken in the part of the U.S. north of a line running northwest through central New Jersey, below the northern tier of counties in Pennsylvania, through northern Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, across central Iowa, and through the northwest corner of South Dakota
2
: pike entry 3 sense 1a

Examples of northern in a Sentence

Adjective the northern part of the state
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
The road — which winds through the hills for hours before reaching the China border — is Nepal’s main trade link with its giant northern neighbor. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 Then, in 2009, the school district opened Terra, another entirely magnet school that sits on the northern edge of Killian’s attendance boundary. — Austin Horn august 29, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Noun
But Hicks says Lake Pend Oreille is now a hot spot for huge northerns. — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 23 July 2026 The Upper Peninsula is the northern of Michigan's two peninsulas. — Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for northern

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English northerne, from Old English; akin to Old High German nordrōni northern, Old English north north

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of northern was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing northern

Browse Nearby Words

northermost
northern
northern anchovy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Northern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northern. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

northern

adjective
north·​ern
ˈnȯr-t͟hə(r)n
1
capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of the North
2
: lying toward or coming from the north
a northern storm
northernmost
-ˌmōst
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on northern

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about northern

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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