The phrase "north by west" is spelled using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /nɔːθ baɪ wɛst/. The "north" part of the phrase is pronounced as /nɔːθ/, with a long "o" sound and the "th" being pronounced as "th". The "by" portion is pronounced as /baɪ/, with the "a" sounding like "ai". The final portion, "west", is pronounced as /wɛst/, with the "e" being pronounced like "eh" and the "st" being pronounced like "st". Together, these three portions form the phrase "north by west".
The term "north by west" is primarily used in nautical and aviation contexts and represents a specific compass heading. It is a hybrid orientation derived from the cardinal points, north and west. In simple terms, it denotes a direction that is slightly towards the north from the exact west or towards the west from the exact north.
In compass notation, "north by west" is represented as Nbw, N x W, or N½W. This means that if someone were facing true north, north by west would be a heading located slightly to the left, closer to the west, approximately at a 16.875-degree angle. Similarly, if facing true west, north by west would be slightly to the north, approaching a 73.125-degree angle.
This directional term is a specific point on the compass rose and is often used in navigation to provide precise instructions and ensure accurate course tracking. For example, if a ship or aircraft were instructed to travel north by west, it would mean that they should aim to maintain a heading just slightly to the west of due north. By defining the direction in this manner, it allows for greater precision when navigating towards a desired location.