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

Nearly 50 miles south, a second site was located in the 2000 block of Golf Road in Turlock, which law enforcement officials said contained all the equipment necessary to operate as a lab but was shut down before production began. —Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026

Meanwhile, a strong trough of low pressure diving out of the Pacific Northwest will dig south, eventually breaking away from the main atmospheric flow and meandering across Southern California. —Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026

Adjective

In the south-central city of Shiraz, one resident described the chaos of living with almost no access to news or warning systems amid the bombardment. —Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

Next, the group plans to demand the county stop spraying along the Santa Ana River, which reaches the ocean on the south side of Huntington Beach. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Noun

Both sides echo optimism, but security remains a major concern along Venezuela's Arco Minero del Orinoco, a 112,000-square-kilometer mining zone in the country's south created by presidential decree in 2016. —Lilia Luciano, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

Stronger storms are expected late in the afternoon and evening, particularly in western Iowa, as surface dewpoints rise into the 50s and 60s in the south. —Brandi D. Addison, Des Moines Register, 6 Mar. 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