Septentrional is a rarely used word that means "of the north". Early maps of North America, mostly those before 1700, often refer to the northern- or northwestern-most unexplored areas of the continent at "Septentrional" or "America Septentrional", sometimes with slightly alternate spellings. The term septentrional, actually the adjectival form of the noun septentrion, itself refers to the seven stars of the Ursa Minor constellation.

See also

• meridional
• occidental
• oriental