First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
southern
adjective south·ern \ˈsə-thərn\
: located in or toward the south
: of or relating to the south
Southern : of or relating to the people born, raised, or living in the southeastern U.S.
Full Definition of SOUTHERN
1
capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated South
2
a : lying toward the south b : coming from the south <a southern wind>
— south·ern·most \-ˌmōst\ adjective
— south·ern·ness \-thərn-nəs\ noun often capitalized
See southern defined for English-language learners
See southern defined for kids
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Origin of SOUTHERN
Middle English southern, southren, from Old English sūtherne; akin to Old High German sundrōni southern, Old English sūth south
Southern
noun
Definition of SOUTHERN
: the dialect of English spoken in most of the Chesapeake Bay area, the coastal plain and the greater part of the upland plateau in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and the Gulf states at least as far west as the valley of the Brazos in Texas and sometimes taken to include the south Midland area
First Known Use of SOUTHERN
1935
Other Language Terms
SOUTHERNNESS Defined for Kids
southern
adjective south·ern \ˈsə-thərn\
Definition of SOUTHERN for Kids
1
often cap : of, relating to, or like that of the South <a southern climate>
2
: lying toward or coming from the south <southern Asia>
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