southern
SUH-thuhn
Southern (adjective) means Located in, belonging to, or characteristic of the south. Example: “The southern part of the island has long beaches and very mild winters.”
adjective
1
Located in, belonging to, or characteristic of the south.
"The southern part of the island has long beaches and very mild winters."
"They have a distinct southern accent."
"Southern Europe enjoys a much warmer climate than the north."
How to use southern
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBelonging to or typical of the south.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
southern hospitality
southern accent
southern states
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Word forms
- Plural
- southerns
- Comparative
- more southern
- Superlative
- most southern, southernmost
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ part of the island has long beaches and very mild winters.
Etymology
From Old English sutherne, from Proto-Germanic *sunthronijaz, ultimately related to the root for "sun."
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “southern” mean?
The word “southern” means located in, belonging to, or characteristic of the south. In plain terms, belonging to or typical of the south.
How do you pronounce “southern”?
“Southern” is pronounced SUH-thuhn (/ˈsʌðɚn/ in IPA).
How do you use “southern” in a sentence?
Here is “southern” used in a sentence: “They have a distinct southern accent.”
What is another word for “southern”?
Words with a similar meaning to “southern” include southerly, austral and meridional.
What is the opposite of “southern”?
The opposite of “southern” — its antonyms — are northern, boreal and septentrional.
What part of speech is “southern”?
“Southern” is an adjective.
Where does the word “southern” come from?
The word “southern” comes from Old English. From Old English sutherne, from Proto-Germanic *sunthronijaz, ultimately related to the root for "sun.".
Is “southern” a common word?
“Southern” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between southern and southerly?
Southern describes location or character — where something is or belongs, as in the southern hemisphere or southern cooking. Southerly usually describes direction, especially of wind, and confusingly means coming from the south: a southerly wind blows northward. So southern is mainly about place, while southerly is mostly about the direction of movement.
What is the opposite of southern?
The opposite of southern is northern. The two adjectives divide the globe and the compass into halves, so a southern region, accent, or climate contrasts with a northern one. For finer directions you also have eastern and western, but northern is the direct counterpart of southern along the north–south axis.
Is 'southern' always capitalised?
No. As a plain direction word, southern stays lowercase: the southern edge of town, southern winds. It is capitalised only when it forms part of a proper name or a recognised region, such as Southern California or Southern hospitality in the American South. The capitalisation follows the noun it describes.
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