Southern Hemisphere

American  

noun

1. the half of the earth between the South Pole and the equator.

---

southern hemisphere British  

noun

1. that half of the earth lying south of the equator

2. astronomy that half of the celestial sphere lying south of the celestial equator

---

Southern Hemisphere Scientific  

1. The half of the Earth south of the equator.

2. The half of the celestial sphere south of the celestial equator.

---

Southern Hemisphere Cultural  

1. The southern half of the Earth's surface; the Earth's surface south of the equator.

---

Etymology

Origin of Southern Hemisphere

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

High temperatures amid the Southern Hemisphere summer and strong winds have fueled the spread of the flames.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

As Salon previously reported, when the flu season cooled down in the Northern Hemisphere last summer, it intensified in the Southern Hemisphere.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2026

Based on what happened in the Southern Hemisphere — particularly in Australia — “we are expecting this season to have a disproportionate impact on children under the age of 10,” Hudson said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

“The arrival of ample wheat production in the Southern Hemisphere worries U.S. wheat in particular, which lacks competitiveness on the international scene,” says Argus in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

At Miss Throckmorton’s I used to imagine people in the Southern Hemisphere walking round like this.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell