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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 project, which started in 2025, works with conservation partners and volunteer groups across Northumberland, Cumbria, Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and southern Scotland to raise awareness of the endangered species.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Driving on a road along the banks of the Orteguaza River in southern Colombia, Cortés pointed to the long boats churning past, piled high with food, fuel and other supplies bound for jungle communities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The BBC's Orla Guerin saw the impact firsthand when she travelled with southern national security forces to frontline positions where they've been battling Houthi fighters.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The image extends from southern Germany across the Italian peninsula to Sicily and the southern Mediterranean.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

It stated that these nations would hand over their land in what is now southern Indiana in exchange for a yearly payment.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Although Southern California got some rain Sunday and Monday, the most of it fell in areas south of Los Angeles County, Kittell said, leaving Los Angeles and Ventura counties very dry.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

The Federal Trade Commission and seven states asked the judge in the Southern District of New York to force Shkreli to sell the drug stocks he owns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The residence boasts four bedrooms and four bathrooms, along with an impressive collection of outdoor amenities designed to take advantage of the Southern California climate.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

Large waves from Post-Tropical Cyclone Rachel battered homes across Southern California over the weekend, leaving some properties at risk of collapse.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

“The Red Cars go out all around Southern California—you can jump on one and swing out to Long Beach or Santa Monica or the Valley. It’s all movie studios here, though.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu