southerner

[ suhth-er-ner ]

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of the south.
2. (initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of the southern U.S.

Southerner

/ ˈsʌðənə /

noun

1. sometimes not capital a native or inhabitant of the south of any specified region, esp the South of England or the Southern states of the US

Word History and Origins

Origin of southerner¹

First recorded in 1820–30; southern + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Because presidential candidates typically look for a partner who complements them — say, by their age, region or experience — Bill Clinton in 1992 pulled a fast one by selecting Sen. Al Gore of Tennessee, a fellow southerner, boomer and moderate Democrat.

From Los Angeles Times

A visit to an independent bookstore or a sprawling newsstand like Casa Magazines in New York or The Kosher News in Los Angeles unveils a universe of artful niche publications, from The Bitter Southerner to Catnip, Mildew to Whalebone.

From New York Times

He channels a southerner named Wade who raises horses and says, “You can always tell when a horse is being pumped full of testosterone — steroids doesn’t make the horse think any better.”

From New York Times

“My mom drinks green tea in the morning and chamomile tea at night. She also likes the occasional sweet tea. Dad doesn’t. He’s the only Southerner who hates it. Can you believe that?”

From Literature

Another dinner guest, the Southerner Cameron Thom, was wounded at Gettysburg but returned to L.A. to become its 16th mayor.

From Los Angeles Times