Plain English Meaning
The compass direction something points, measured in degrees from magnetic north going clockwise around to a full circle.
Full Definition
A horizontal direction expressed in degrees measured clockwise from magnetic north, ranging from 000° to 360°. Used to describe the orientation of a runway, bearing, or course relative to the Earth's magnetic field rather than true north.
Context Anchor
Seen when learning how runway numbers are assigned from the direction a runway points on a compass.
Derivation
Azimuth' comes from the Arabic 'as-sumut,' meaning 'the directions.' It was adopted into navigation and astronomy to describe a horizontal angle measured around the observer. Adding '' specifies that the angle is measured from magnetic north (where a compass points) rather than true north (the geographic pole).