southeast

1 of 3

adverb

south·​east sau̇th-ˈēst 

 nautical  sau̇-ˈēst

: to, toward, or in the southeast

southeast

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction between south and east

b

: the point midway between the south and east compass points

2

capitalized : regions or countries lying to the southeast of a specified or implied point of orientation

southeast

3 of 3

adjective

1

: coming from the southeast

a southeast wind

2

: situated toward or at the southeast

the southeast corner

Examples of southeast in a Sentence

Adverb

It's a few miles southeast of here.

Noun

A mountain range is in the southeast of the country.

Rain is moving into the Southeast.

He grew up in the Southeast.

Adjective

My office is in the southeast corner of the building.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

The quake was detected at 6:46 a.m. less than a mile southeast of Hicksville at the Indiana border. —Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 29 Dec. 2024

This ZIP code is also southeast of downtown Anchorage, and southeast of the No. 1 most expensive ZIP code. —Andrew Depietro, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024

Noun

By 6:45 a,m. Mercury will be about 9 degrees high in the southeast – difficult to see but not impossible with a flat horizon and clear conditions. —Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 27 Dec. 2024

This ZIP code is also southeast of downtown Anchorage, and southeast of the No. 1 most expensive ZIP code. —Andrew Depietro, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Zoom out: Carter's work on The Atlanta Project, his mid-1990s initiative to rebuild communities in underinvested southeast Atlanta neighborhoods, helped secure federal funding for East Lake's revitalization, former mayor Shirley Franklin told Axios. —Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024

In November 2022, a 28-year-old man who fell overboard from a Carnival Valor cruise ship was rescued off of Louisiana's southeast coast after treading water for nearly 20 hours. —Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

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

Phrases Containing southeast

• east-southeast
• southeast by east
• southeast by south
• south-southeast

Kids Definition

southeast

1 of 3 adverb

south·​east sau̇-ˈthēst 

 nautical  sau̇-ˈēst

: to or toward the southeast

southeast

2 of 3 noun

1

: the direction between south and east

2

capitalized : regions or countries southeast of a point that is mentioned or understood

southeast

3 of 3 adjective

1

: situated toward or at the southeast

the southeast corner

2

: coming from the southeast

a southeast wind