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

The strikes also wounded people in Zawaida in central Gaza and Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the health ministry said. — Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

The city sits along the banks of the Dnipro River, which since Kherson's liberation by Ukraine in the fall of 2022 has formed the frontline between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the southern theater. — David Brennan, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

In a sign of shifting attitudes in Japan, voters in the southern island of Okinawa — home to 70% of the US military presence in the country — recently ousted a governor who opposed Tokyo’s militarization. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026

In California, most 99 Ranch Market locations can be found in the southern part of the state. — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 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