What does southeastwards mean?
Southeastwards is an adverb meaning toward the southeast, the direction lying between south and east. It describes motion rather than simply naming a location: a ship may sail southeastwards, a road may run southeastwards, or a storm may move southeastwards. The word is somewhat more formal and literary than “southeastward,” which is its standard alternative and is preferred in ordinary modern usage. It combines the compass direction “southeast” with the suffix “-wards,” meaning “in the direction of.” The expression is useful when direction of movement matters, especially in descriptions of travel, geography, weather, and navigation.
adverbToward the southeast; in the direction of the southeast.
- Toward the southeast; in a southeastward direction.
"The road winds through the hills and then turns southeastwards toward the coast."
"After leaving the village, they walked southeastwards along the narrow footpath."
"The storm moved southeastwards overnight, bringing heavy rain to the region."
Adding “wards” to a compass direction gives the movement itself: southeastwards means not simply where southeast is, but heading there.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does southeastwards come from?
The word is formed from “southeast” plus the Old English-derived suffix “-wards,” meaning “in the direction of.” “Southeast” itself combines Old English “sūþ” (“south”) and “ēast” (“east”), reflecting the established compass terminology of English. The directional suffix was commonly used in Middle English and remains productive in words such as “westwards” and “forwards.”
Related word forms
How southeastwards is actually used
This is a formal or literary alternative to the more common “southeastward.” It is especially common in British English, though it is also understandable and used in American English.
Easily confused with southeastwards
“Southeast” names a direction or region, whereas “southeastwards” describes movement toward that direction.