Northerner

American  

[nawr-ther-ner] / ˈnɔr ðər nər /

noun

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

2. (lowercase) norther.

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Northerner British  

/ ˈnɔːðənə /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of Northerner

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

Example Sentences

“History has placed us all, Northerner and Southerner, black and white, within a common border and under a common law,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 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

Though she is thought of as a deeply Southern writer, Miss Welty points out that her mother was Virginian but her father was a Northerner, of German-Swiss ancestry.

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2021

His identity as an outsider, a Northerner, and the nature of the crime seemed to generate heightened contempt from law enforcement officials.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson