English
northeast
Northeast comes from Middle English northest, and goes back to Old English norþēast.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150norþēast
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500northest
- Englishearliest quotation 1972northeast
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150norþēast
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500northest
- Englishearliest quotation 1972northeast
Earliest quotation: 1972, Burton Pasternak, Kinship & Community in Two Chinese Villages: “Chungshe is one of eleven villages in Liuchia township,…”
Proto-Indo-European *nér ‘below (the surface)’
…
Proto-Germanic *nurþrą ‘north’
Proto-West Germanic *norþr ‘northern’
Old English norþ
Middle English north ‘north’
English north
Proto-Germanic *austraz ‘east’
Proto-Germanic *austrą
Proto-West Germanic *austr ‘eastern’
Old English ēast ‘the east’
Middle English est ‘east’
English east
Every English word from Old English norþēast
Today it means
noun The intercardinal compass point halfway between north and east; specifically at a bearing of 45°.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English norþēast / northeast