Bible Belt

American  

noun

1. an area of the U.S., chiefly in the South and Midwest, noted for its religious fundamentalism.

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Bible Belt British  

noun

1. those states of the S US where Protestant fundamentalism is dominant

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Bible Belt Cultural  

1. An area of the United States, including the South and parts of the Middle West, where fervent Protestant fundamentalism is strong. (See Scopes trial.)

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Bible belt Idioms  

1. An area noted for religious fundamentalism; specifically, parts of the American South and Midwest. For example, You wouldn't dare try to sell a sex manual in the Bible belt. This term alludes to the prevalence of evangelical revivals, strict morals, belief in the literal truth of the Bible, and similar traits. [c. 1920]

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Etymology

Origin of Bible Belt

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

Example Sentences

North Africa was by then the Bible Belt of the late Roman West, characterized by intense Christian devotion and intellectual ferment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Most days, in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Bible Belt, the old sanctuary at Christ Lutheran Church sits empty.

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2025

Throughout this month, persistent triple-digit temperatures have blanketed the Bible Belt, sometimes exceeding 120 degrees.

From Slate • Jun. 25, 2023

Satanic panic plagued the Bible Belt the 1980s and 1990s, when devil worship was thought to be behind seemingly every inexplicable, heinous crime.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2023

You probably don’t know this, but Oklahoma is called Tornado Alley, and also the Buckle of the Bible Belt, which means it’s a great place to hide.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri