A passage for ships along the northern coast of Europe and Asia, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via the Arctic Ocean, sought for many years as a possible trade route to the East. It was first navigated in 1878–79 by Swedish Arctic explorer Baron Nordenskjöld (1832–1901).
Definition of Northeast Passage in US English:
Northeast Passage
proper noun
A passage for ships along the northern coast of Europe and Asia, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via the Arctic Ocean, sought for many years as a possible trade route to the East. It was first navigated in 1878–79 by Swedish Arctic explorer Baron Nordenskjöld (1832–1901).