southern

1 of 2

adjective

south·​ern ˈsə-t͟hərn 

1

capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated South

2

a

: lying toward the south

b

: coming from the south

a southern wind

southernness

ˈsə-t͟hərn-nəs 

noun often capitalized

Southern

2 of 2

noun

: the dialect of English spoken in most of the Chesapeake Bay area, the coastal plain and the greater part of the upland plateau in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and the Gulf states at least as far west as the valley of the Brazos in Texas and sometimes taken to include the south Midland area

Examples of southern in a Sentence

Adjective

the southern part of the state

the southern shore of the lake

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The house, in the 2200 block of Jamaica Drive, is about a half-mile from the southern edge of North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, where the plane departed. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025

But beyond the hops and grapes, Cedaredge — on the southern slopes of the Grand Mesa — is home to Snow Capped Cider, a cidery that’s reshaping how Americans think about cider and drawing enthusiasts from near and far. —Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025

The mission of 800 DC guard members will resemble how troops are helping immigration agents swarm the southern border, the Army has said. —N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025

They're listed as imperiled by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and largely reside along the western highland Rim from Stewart County to the southern border, according to the agency. —Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English southern, southren, from Old English sūtherne; akin to Old High German sundrōni southern, Old English sūth south

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing southern

• southern corn rootworm
• southern fur seal
• southern hemisphere
• southern lights
• southern maidenhair fern
• southern minke whale

Kids Definition

southern

adjective

south·​ern ˈsət͟h-ərn 

1

capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of the South

2

: lying toward or coming from the south

southernmost

-ˌmōst 

adjective