south

1 of 3

adverb

ˈsau̇th 

1

: to, toward, or in the south

a house facing south

2

: into a state of decline or ruin

… causes the sluggish economy to go south …

—George Will

see also:

south of

south

2 of 3

adjective

1

: situated toward or at the south

the south entrance

2

: coming from the south

a south wind

south

3 of 3

noun

1

a

: the direction of the south terrestrial pole : the direction to the right of one facing east

b

: the compass point directly opposite to north

2

South : regions or countries lying to the south of a specified or implied point of orientation

especially : the southeastern part of the U.S.

3

: the right side of a church looking toward the altar from the nave

4

often South

a

: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the south or at the bottom of a diagram

b

: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity

specifically : the declarer in bridge

5

often South : the developing nations of the world : third world sense 1 compare north sense 2b

Examples of south in a Sentence

Adverb

Turn south onto Elm Street.

It's a mile south of here.

The birds fly south in the winter.

The company's profits have gone south in recent months.

The TV show's ratings have been heading south.

Noun

The wind blew from the south.

The birds migrate from the South.

Parts of the South were hit hard by the storm.

I grew up in the South.

The American Civil War was between the North and the South.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Elo-Rivera, Foster and Moreno represent the city’s lowest-income neighborhoods, all south of Interstate 8. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026

Homes in these neighborhoods tend to carry a premium over comparable square footage farther south, but the in-town location and school reputation continue to drive demand. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026

Adjective

The rescue caps off the busiest season ever on Everest with more than 1,000 climbers summiting the mountain’s south side, including a record 274 in a single day on May 20. —Helen Regan, CNN Money, 5 June 2026

For Southland Development Authority CEO Bo Kemp, fostering connections is key to achieving his goal of making the south suburbs a hub for economic development. —Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026

Noun

This flat, sandy beach south of Benicàssim is unusually open, with minimal development behind it thanks to a nearby airstrip. —Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 June 2026

The fighting in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have seized large swaths of the south in its latest ground invasion, threatens efforts to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit point for oil and gas. —ABC News, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English sūth; akin to Old High German sund- south and probably to Old English sunne sun

First Known Use

Adverb

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

Adjective

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

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing south

• down south
• east by south
• south by east
• south by west
• southeast by south
• south of
• south pole
• south-seeking pole
• south-southeast
• south-southwest
• southwest by south
• west by south

Rhymes for south

• drouth
• mouth
• routh

Kids Definition

south

1 of 3 adverb

ˈsau̇th 

: to or toward the south

south

2 of 3 adjective

1

: situated toward or at the south

the south entrance

2

: coming from the south

a south wind

south

3 of 3 noun

1

a

: the direction to the right of one facing east

b

: the compass point opposite to north

2

capitalized : regions or countries south of a point that is mentioned or understood

especially : the southeastern part of the U.S.

Biographical Definition

South

biographical name

ˈsau̇th 

Robert 1634–1716 English clergyman