south

American  

[south, south, south] / saʊθ, saʊθ, saʊð /

noun

1. a cardinal point of the compass lying directly opposite north. S

2. the direction in which this point lies.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a region or territory situated in this direction.

4. the South, the general area south of Pennsylvania and the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi, consisting mainly of those states that formed the Confederacy.

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adjective

1. lying toward or situated in the south; directed or proceeding toward the south.

2. coming from the south, as a wind.

adverb

1. to, toward, or in the south.

2. Informal. into a state of serious decline, loss, or the like.

   Sales went south during the recession.

verb (used without object)

1. to turn or move in a southerly direction.

2. Astronomy. to cross the meridian.

South ¹ British  

/ saʊθ /

noun

1. the southern part of England, generally regarded as lying to the south of an imaginary line between the Wash and the Severn

2. 1. the area approximately south of Pennsylvania and the Ohio River, esp those states south of the Mason-Dixon line that formed the Confederacy during the Civil War

   2. the Confederacy itself

3. the countries of the world that are not economically and technically advanced

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adjective

1. 1. of or denoting the southern part of a specified country, area, etc

   2. ( capital as part of a name )

      the South Pacific

south ² British  

/ saʊθ /

noun

1. one of the four cardinal points of the compass, at 180° from north and 90° clockwise from east and anticlockwise from west

2. the direction along a meridian towards the South Pole

3. (often capital) any area lying in or towards the south

4. (usually capital) cards the player or position at the table corresponding to south on the compass

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adjective

1. situated in, moving towards, or facing the south

2. (esp of the wind) from the south

adverb

1. in, to, or towards the south

2. archaic (of the wind) from the south

south Idioms  

1. see go south.

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Etymology

Origin of south

before 900; Middle English suth ( e ), south ( e ) (adv., adj., and noun), Old English sūth (adv. and adj.); cognate with Old High German sund-

Example Sentences

Tylorstown, Ferndale and Maerdy in the south Wales valleys were among the most affordable areas, with average house prices between £87,000 and £94,000.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

While smaller business in Scotland can benefit from more generous rates relief than in England, larger companies south of the border pay lower rates.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

It moved to the far south end of the festival grounds in 2024 and it’s a considerably longer hike than its previous locations.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The S&P Stocks is still around 1.5% south of its 200-day moving average, a key performance benchmark that was breached on March 20.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

A National Guard helicopter rose at dawn and headed south, toward the Tuscan River.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

Related Words

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