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

The Trumps also made plans to travel south after the ceremony. —Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025

Two hundred miles south, Fairhope Public Library offers a cautionary tale of unintended consequences. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025

Adjective

The Kansas students seated in both the north and south lower-level bleachers of Allen Fieldhouse chanted, ‘(Bleep) Dan Hurley,’ several times in the first half of UConn’s 61-56 men’s basketball victory over the Jayhawks on Tuesday night. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Dec. 2025

Just after midnight, Illinois State Police said troopers responded to an initial report of a three-vehicle crash south of 120th Street in south suburban Calumet City. —Darius Johnson, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025

Noun

Further east and south, a winter storm will move across an area extending from Texas to Delaware late in the week, the Weather Prediction Center said. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025

In early November, a series of powerful X-class solar flares triggered coronal mass ejections that resulted in an astonishing auroral display for viewers as far south as Mexico. —Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 4 Dec. 2025

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