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• southern
  southern

  adjective

  lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the south.
• Southern
  Southern

  noun

  Terry, 1924–95, U.S. novelist and screenwriter.

southern

¹ American  

[suhth-ern] / ˈsʌð ərn /

adjective

1. lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the south.

2. coming from the south, as a wind.

3. of or relating to the south.

4. Southern, of or relating to the South of the United States.

5. Astronomy. Southern, being or located south of the celestial equator or of the zodiac.

   a southern constellation.

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noun

1. Often Southern southerner.

2. Southern, the dialect of English spoken in the eastern parts of Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas, in Florida, in the southern parts of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and in southeastern Texas.

Southern ² American  

[suhth-ern] / ˈsʌð ərn /

noun

1. Terry, 1924–95, U.S. novelist and screenwriter.

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southern ¹ British  

/ ˈsʌðən /

adjective

1. situated in or towards the south

2. (of a wind, etc) coming from the south

3. native to, inhabiting, or growing in the south

4. (sometimes capital) astronomy south of the celestial equator

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Southern ² British  

/ ˈsʌðən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the south of a particular region or country

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Etymology

Origin of southern

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sūtherne; see south, -ern

Explanation

Southern means from the south, like a southern breeze. But if you call a group of people “y’all,” you might be Southern, a word which refers to the American South and usually gets a capital “S” — and a side of hush puppies. A southern breeze happens when wind is moving from the south to the north, and the Southern Hemisphere is south of the equator. When southern refers to the direction, it’s not capitalized; when it's used in the name of specific place, however, it is capitalized. Southern comes from south, which derives from a Germanic word meaning "sun-side."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

southern Southern

For southern Canada, much of the US and northern Mexico, day becomes twilight and breathing outdoors without masks becomes increasingly difficult.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

“After almost an entire summer of southern swell after southern swell, there could be some issues for those vulnerable coastlines,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

The kingdom needs to decide if it will seek de-escalation in hopes of ensuring quiet on its southern border or if its red lines have truly been crossed, necessitating a strong military response.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

Others once more commonly associated with southern England have also spread further north.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts attempted to offer conciliatory words to his southern colleagues, though he did so in a decidedly northern accent.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

El Niño can create a surfing paradise in Southern California.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Officials across Southern California are busy working to shore up hillsides and get flood control systems in place before the rains arrive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

Seventeen other penguin species live across the Southern Hemisphere, and many inhabit isolated islands that are difficult for scientists to reach and study.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Shares of PG&E and Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, are down about 20% since the bid failed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Aunt Kitty paced the room trying to make sense of what we picked up from our Southern companions.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan