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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

The subtropical southern Japanese region boasts some of the world's most biodiverse hubs of normally multicoloured coral, but a 2024 marine heatwave created "graveyards" of ghostly pale or sickly brown organisms.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

The USDA, when asked for comment on the rancher’s claim, referred MarketWatch to Rollins’ statement when announcing the reopening of livestock trade at the southern ports.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Temperatures are expected to climb sharply across southern and eastern England and into parts of the Midlands, marking the peak of a short but notable heatwave.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture in southern Japan on Tuesday, triggering rescue operations and safety protocols.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The cows smelled the lion at the southern end and stampeded to the north—toward the other waiting lion.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola

Southern Section players were in shorts and wearing helmets around the Southland.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Southern Utah pediatrician: People don’t know who to believe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Plans to simplify the classic logo and modernise store interiors sparked fierce resistance from loyal diners who argued the changes stripped away the brand's nostalgic Southern charm.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

With the filing, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern said they have now completed their responses to the STB’s requests for supplemental information.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

In 1917, three years later, the American Geographical Society awarded Roosevelt a gold medal for “scientific achievement in the field of geography in the Southern Hemisphere.”

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple