Southern Hemisphere

American  

noun

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

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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

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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.

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Southern Hemisphere Cultural  

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

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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

“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

Meanwhile, Earth's magnetic field lines run from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere -- upward near the equator and downward near the poles.

From Science Daily • Oct. 31, 2025

“The continents we know today were once merged. Gondwana eventually broke apart to form the continents in the Southern Hemisphere: Antarctica, Australia, South America, and Africa.”

From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott