southern
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southern¹
- /ˈsʌðən/ UK
- /ˈsʌðɚn/ Canada, US
- /ˈsaʊðɚn/
- /ˈsaʊ.təɹn/ Philippines
Where it comes from
From Middle English southerne, sothern, sutherne, from Old English sūþerne (“southern, southerly, coming from the south; of southern make”), from Proto-Germanic *sunþrōnijaz (“southern”), from Proto-Indo-European *sh₂un-, *sh₂wen-, r/n-stem alternation of *sóh₂wl̥ (“sun”). Cognate with Scots southron, sudron (“southern”), Old Frisian sūthern, sūdern (“southern”), Middle Low German sūdern (“southern”), Middle High German sundern (“southern”), Icelandic suðrænn (“southern, tropical”).
By surface analysis, south + -ern.
adjective more southern · most southern · southernmost
- Of, facing, situated in, or related to the south.
- Of or pertaining to a southern region, especially Southern Europe or the southern United States. The southern climate.
- Of a wind: blowing from the south; southerly.
Similar: southerly, austral, meridional · Opposite: northern, boreal, septentrional
noun southerns
-
Synonym of southerner.
Force prevails most with the northerns, reason with the inhabitants of a temperate or middle climate, superstition with the southerns; thus astrology, magic, and all mysterious sciences have come from the Chaldeans and Egyptians.
Similar: southerner
Southern²
- /ˈsʌð.ən/
- /ˈsʌð.ɚn/
Where it comes from
English surname, from the adjective southern. Often used as a northern English nickname for someone from the south of the country, or as a Scottish nickname for an Englishman.
adjective more Southern · most Southern · Sotheran · Sothern · Sotheron · Southan
- From or pertaining to the southern part of any region.
- From or pertaining to the South, the south-eastern states of the United States, southern portions of some other states (e.g., Southern California), or to the inhabitants or culture of that region. But although Southern cooking makes use of a cornucopia of vegetables, it also typically includes generous portions of meat and fried chicken. Even vegetable dishes and breads are often cooked with animal fat: Greens are fried in bacon grease […]
proper noun Sotheran · Sothern · Sotheron · Southan · Southerin · Southon
- A surname.
- Ellipsis of Southern Comfort
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: meridional, austral, confederate, south, southerly, gray, grey, rebel, south-central, south-eastern, southeastern, northern, southwestern, south-east, southward, southland
adjective
Similar: southerly, austral, meridional · Opposite: northern, boreal, septentrional
Translations
Every language
adj of the south
| Español | del sur, sureño, meridional, austral |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 남의 nam-ui, 남쪽의 namjjog-ui |
| 日本語 | 南の minami no, 南方の nanpō no |
| 中文 | 南的 nán de, 南方的 nánfāng de |
| हिन्दी | दक्षिणी dakṣiṇī |
| Português | do sul, meridional, austral |
| Français | austral, méridional, sud |
| Deutsch | südlich, Süd- |
| Italiano | meridionale |
| Ελληνικά | νότιος nótios |
| Română | sudic, austral, meridional |
| Русский | ю́жный júžnyj |
| Tiếng Việt | nam |
| العربية | جَنُوبِيّ janūbiyy |
| עברית | דְּרוֹמִי dromí |
adj of or pertaining to a southern region
| Español | del sur, sureño, meridional, austral |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | दक्षिणी dakṣiṇī |
| Português | meridional, do sul/Sul, sulista |
| Français | sudiste |
| Deutsch | südlich, südländisch |
| Română | sudic |
| Русский | южный južnyj |
Talk about this word "southern." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/southern. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. southern. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/southern "southern." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/southern.Cite this
@misc{southern_2026,
title = {southern},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/southern},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
