Cardinal directions
Cardinal Directions
Cardinal Directions (pronunciation: /ˈkɑːrdɪnəl dɪˈrɛkʃənz/) are the four main points of a compass: North, South, East, and West. They are used in navigation and meteorology.
Etymology
The term "Cardinal Directions" originates from the Latin word cardo, meaning hinge. The cardinal directions were so named because they are pivotal to the navigation of the physical world.
North
North (pronunciation: /nɔːrθ/) is one of the four cardinal directions. It is generally the direction along the Earth's surface towards the geographic North Pole.
South
South (pronunciation: /saʊθ/) is one of the four cardinal directions. It is the opposite of North and is perpendicular to the East and West.
East
East (pronunciation: /iːst/) is one of the four cardinal directions. It is the direction in which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general direction from which the Sun appears to rise.
West
West (pronunciation: /wɛst/) is one of the four cardinal directions. It is the opposite direction from East and is the direction in which the Sun sets.
Related Terms
- Compass: A tool used for navigation and orientation that shows direction relative to the geographic cardinal directions.
- Magnetic North: The direction that a compass needle points to.
- True North: The direction along the Earth's surface towards the geographic North Pole.
- Geographic North Pole: The point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface.
- Geographic South Pole: The point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cardinal directions
- Wikipedia's article - Cardinal directions
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