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

Originally from Long Island, New York, and shaped by 20 years in southern Arizona, her work examines the intersection of wild landscapes, small-town culture, and the spirit of adventure. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026

The Israeli and Lebanese armies both reported personnel deaths in southern Lebanon. —Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 7 June 2026

Along the southern front, Ukrainian drones began to blow up military convoys on the main road from Russia to Crimea. —Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026

Native to the tropical rainforests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia, the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) holds the title of world’s most dangerous bird. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 June 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