Northerner

American

[nawr-ther-ner] / ˈnɔr ðər nər /

noun

(sometimes lowercase) a native or inhabitant of the North, especially the northern U.S.
(lowercase) norther.

Northerner British

/ ˈnɔːðənə /

noun

(sometimes not capital) a native or inhabitant of the north of any specified region, esp England or the US

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Northerner

First recorded in 1825–35; northern + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Northerner

He will also be the first self-proclaimed Northerner to be prime minister since Harold Wilson in the 1960s and 70s.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Meanwhile, in the South, most Confederates would be more familiar with “Dixie,” which Emmett, a Northerner, also claimed to have written.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 1, 2026

Franklin Pierce, although a Northerner, fiercely defended slavery while signing the Kansas-Nebraska Act and enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act; he was a drunkard to boot.

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2025

A Northerner serves 13 years in the military, while South Korean conscripts serve just 18 months.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 10, 2023

Hamlin was a Northerner, and Lincoln needed a Southern presence on the ticket.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023