southern

Southern is an adjective and, less commonly, a noun, used to describe things related to the south or situated toward the south. It is the counterpart of northern, eastern, and western. The term comes from Old English suðern, formed from suð (south) with the comparative suffix -ern. In directional terms, southern indicates the part of a region or the direction toward the south on a compass.

In geography, southern describes the portion of a described area that lies toward the south. Examples include the Southern United States, southern Europe, southern Africa, and southern Asia. The precise boundaries of a southern region can vary by context. The term also appears in climate, ecology, and geopolitics to denote southern zones within larger landmasses or hemispheres.

Culturally, "the South" often refers to the culturally and historically defined region of the United States, with distinct linguistic, culinary, architectural, and historical associations. However, there is substantial internal diversity, and overlap with neighboring regions means that southern identities are not uniform.

In terms of climate, the southern hemisphere has seasons opposite to those in the northern hemisphere: December to February is summer in the south, while June to August is winter. The term southern remains relative to the reference frame, so in any given discussion, the southern part of a country or continent is the area lying to the south of a chosen line or point.

Related forms include southernmost, southerly, and southward, used to indicate degrees or directions toward the south.