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southern (adj.)
"of, pertaining to, directed toward, or coming from the south," Middle English southerne, from Old English suðerne, from suð "south" (see south) + -erne, suffix denoting direction. A common Germanic compound (Old Frisian suthern, Old Norse suðroenn, Old High German sundroni).
The southern-hemisphere constellation known as the Southern Cross was so called in English by 1756. Southern-fried as a generic reference to ways of cooking, etc. characteristic of the U.S. South is by 1972. Related: Southernism.
updated on March 24, 2023
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Dictionary entries near southern
south
South Africa
southbound
southeast
southerly
southern
southerner
southernmost
southland
southmost
southpaw