south

/saʊθ/

/saʊθ/

Other forms: southly

If you're holding a compass, south is the direction that's directly opposite north. If you're standing in Tennessee, then Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia will be to the south.

When you need to head south on a hiking trail, you can consult your compass and turn in the direction that's 180 degrees from north. And if you visit the South of France, you'll be staying in the southern part of the country geographically—luckily for you, it's also the warmest, sunniest part of France. The word south has a Germanic root meaning "sun-side."

Definitions of south

1. noun

   the direction corresponding to the southward cardinal compass point
   type of:

   direction

   the spatial relation between something and the course along which it points or moves
2. noun

   the cardinal compass point that is at 180 degrees
   synonyms: S, due south, southward

   type of:

   cardinal compass point

   one of the four main compass points
3. noun

   a location in the southern part of a country, region, or city
   type of:

   location

   a point or extent in space
4. adjective

   situated in or facing or moving toward or coming from the south
   “the south entrance”

   synonyms:

   southbound, southward

   moving toward the south

   south-central

   situated in the southern part of a centrally located area in some geographical region

   southerly, southern

   from the south; used especially of wind

   southerly, southern

   situated in or oriented toward the south

   southernmost, southmost

   situated farthest south

   southeast, southeasterly, southeastern

   situated in or oriented toward the southeast

   southeast, southeasterly

   coming from the southeast

   southeastward

   toward the southeast

   southwest, southwesterly, southwestern

   situated in or oriented toward the southwest

   southwest, southwesterly

   coming from the southwest

   southwestward

   toward the southwest

   antonyms:

   north

   situated in or facing or moving toward or coming from the north

   northbound, northward

   moving toward the north

   north-central

   situated in the northern part of a centrally located area in some geographical region

   northerly, northern

   coming from the north; used especially of wind

   northerly, northern

   situated in or oriented toward the north

   northernmost, northmost

   situated closest to the pole above the equator

   northeast, northeasterly, northeastern

   situated in or oriented toward the northeast

   northeast, northeasterly

   coming from the northeast

   northeastward

   toward the northeast

   northwest, northwesterly, northwestern

   situated in or oriented toward the northwest

   northwest, northwesterly

   coming from the northwest

   northwestward

   toward the northwest
5. adverb

   in a southern direction
   “we moved south”

   synonyms: in the south, to the south