Southernism
noun
South·ern·ism
ˈsə-t͟hər-ˌni-zəm 
1
: an attitude or trait characteristic of the South or Southerners especially in the U.S.
2
: a locution or pronunciation characteristic of the southern U.S.
Examples of Southernism in a Sentence
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His patterns, his slick talk, his mixing of hip-hop-isms with the call and response, the Southernism of fish and grits, just amazing.
—
New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
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New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Southernism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Southernism. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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