southern

1 of 2

adjective

south·​ern ˈsə-t͟hərn 

1

Southern : 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 Southernness

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

Israeli fire killed two Palestinians on Thursday in southern Gaza's Khan Younis area, according to Nasser hospital, where the bodies were taken. —Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026

Snow, damaging winds and dangerous coastal flooding are expected to impact parts of the southern Appalachians, the Carolinas and southern Virginia this weekend as a powerful winter storm rapidly intensifies off the Southeast coast. —Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026

The southern United States under the Jim Crow system of segregation, for example, was governed by a form of racial fascism premised not on a single powerful leader, but on decentralized groups of vigilantes and terrorists. —Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026

The coldest wind chills, minus 10 to minus 13, are forecast for southern Michigan around Coldwater, and northern Michigan around Gaylord. —Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 30 Jan. 2026

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