Borrowed from Latin septentriōnālis, from septentriōnēs ("seven plow oxen"), a name for the constellations now known as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which appear in the northern sky.

• IPA: /sɛpˈtɛntɹɪənəl/

septentrional

1. (rare, literary) Pertaining to the north; northern.
   • 1901, George Gissing, chapter 9, in By the Ionian Sea:

     Cow's milk could be obtained in very small quantities, but it was of evil flavour; butter, in the septentrional sense of the word, did not exist.

   • 1980, Anthony Burgess, Earthly Powers:

     Well, no, we are all septentrional here, all a bit cool. What is mother? Genova and the Alto Adige. Coolest of them all.

• boreal
• northern

• austral
• meridional

• occidental
• oriental