antebellum

adjective

an·​te·​bel·​lum ˌan-ti-ˈbe-ləm How to pronounce antebellum (audio)
: existing before a war
especially : existing before the American Civil War
antebellum houses
the antebellum South

Examples of antebellum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Egyptian motifs, suggesting not ancient death cults — very pagan — but eternity as a general proposition, decorated lots of antebellum American cemeteries, among them Mount Auburn in Cambridge. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 19 July 2025 His reimagining of Mark Twain’s classic Huckleberry Finn foregrounds James, a man trying to deliver himself and his family from a life of enslavement in the antebellum South. Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025 This pursuit of knowledge—especially science—persisted into antebellum America. Sabrina Schaeffer, Oc Register, 4 July 2025 Experts said leaders from the antebellum South demanded similar enforcement of the law. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for antebellum

Word History

Etymology

Latin ante bellum before the war

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of antebellum was in 1826

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Cite this Entry

“Antebellum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antebellum. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

antebellum

adjective
an·​te·​bel·​lum ˌant-i-ˈbel-əm How to pronounce antebellum (audio)
: existing before a war
especially : existing before the American Civil War

More from Merriam-Webster on antebellum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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