Southeast has 9 different meanings across 3 categories:
the compass point midway between south and east; at 135 degrees
"The sun began setting in the southeast, casting a long golden glow across the western fields."
the southeastern region of the United States
"My aunt lives in the southeast, where she spends most of her summer helping neighbors harvest peaches."
the direction corresponding to the southeastward compass point
"The plane turned sharply toward the southeast as it approached the coast."
a location in the southeastern part of a country, region, or city
"The team decided to set up their regional headquarters in the southeast of the state."
The direction of the cardinal compass point halfway between south and east, specifically 135°, abbreviated as SE.
"The sun rose in the southeast, casting a warm golden glow across the eastern fields just after dawn."
In plain English: Southeast is the direction that lies between south and east on a compass.
"The wind blew straight from the southeast, drying out the fields quickly."
situated in or oriented toward the southeast
"The new community center is located on the corner facing southeast to catch the morning sun."
Southeastern, southeasternmost; occupying a position that is relatively southeast of another.
"The village lies in the southeastern corner of the county, just past the river bend."
In plain English: Southeast describes something that is located toward the direction between south and east.
"The southeast corner of the room was filled with sunlight."
Usage: Use this adjective to describe something located in the direction between south and east relative to a specific reference point. It often appears before nouns like winds or regions but should not be confused with "southeast," which functions as a noun for the region itself.
to, toward, or in the southeast
"The flock of birds flew southeast over the fields as evening approached."
Southeast comes from Middle English and Old English, where it was formed by combining the words for south and east. The term has maintained this directional meaning since its earliest recorded use in English.