South Vietnam

American

noun

a former country in SE Asia that comprised Vietnam S of about 17° N latitude; a separate state 1954–75; now part of reunified Vietnam. Saigon.

South Vietnam British

noun

a former republic (1955–76) occupying the S of present-day Vietnam on the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand

"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

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North Vietnam vs. South Vietnam

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.

Nixon and Kissinger were, of course, concerned with what happened to South Vietnam after the 1972 election.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025

The filmmakers’ investigation leads them to Nguyen Thanh Nghe, a driver for an NBC news crew who also was present that day in Trảng Bàng in South Vietnam.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2025

Mr. Sasser was stationed in the Mekong Delta, a riverine agricultural hub in South Vietnam that the Viet Cong could easily reach by crossing the nearby Cambodian border.

From New York Times • May 31, 2024

In Vietnam, Buddha’s birthday is a still popular festival, but not a public holiday, which it was from 1958 to 1975 in what was formerly South Vietnam.

From Seattle Times • May 11, 2024

There would be no attempt at a reprieve for South Vietnam from America.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

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