westerly
1 Americanadjective
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moving, directed, or situated toward the west.
the westerly end of the field.
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(especially of a wind) coming from the west.
a westerly gale.
adverb
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toward the west.
to escape westerly.
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from the west.
a sharp wind blowing westerly.
noun
plural
westerlies-
a wind that blows from the west.
an occasional westerly that pommeled the island.
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(used with a plural verb) westerlies, any semipermanent belt of westerly winds, especially those that prevail at latitudes lying between the tropical and polar regions of the earth.
noun
adjective
adverb
-
towards or in the direction of the west
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(esp of the wind) from the west
noun
-
A wind, especially a prevailing wind, that blows from the west. The prevailing winds in the middle latitudes are westerlies.
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See illustration at wind
Other Word Forms
- westerliness noun
Etymology
Origin of westerly
1570–80; west + -erly, as in easterly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Early indications are that milder westerly winds from the Atlantic will return during the third week of the month - delivering more wind and rain.
From BBC
The weather that day was perfect—a westerly breeze that smelled of the sea—and she was sky spinning, twisting in the cold air.
From Literature
The polar vortex - a ring of strong westerly winds that form above the Arctic every winter containing a pool of very cold air - led to the powerful storm, according to weather experts.
From BBC
Most meteorologists cite weakening westerly disturbances – low-pressure systems from the Mediterranean carrying cold air – as a key reason for reduced rainfall and occasional snow during winter in northern India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
From BBC
Strong and gusty south westerly winds are also expected throughout Sunday, worsening conditions.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
