meridional
/mə-ˈri-dē-ə-nᵊl/ (ame, mw)
meridional — adjective
- meridionalpositive
- more meridionalcomparative
- most meridionalsuperlative
1. belonging to or typical of the southern part of a country or region, used especi
belonging to or typical of the southern part of a country or region, used especially when describing southern France and the warm, sunlit character of its people and landscape
Rania described the village's meridional rhythm: long lunches, afternoon naps, and lively evenings outdoors.
meridional + noun (rhythm) for southern lifestyle traits
The novel captures a meridional warmth in its kitchens, gardens, and noisy family dinners by the sea.
meridional + abstract noun (warmth) for southern character
Stephanie's paintings show meridional light pouring over olive groves and pale stone farmhouses.
Wei was charmed by the meridional accent and the slow, melodic way old people spoke at the market.
Critics often praise the chef's meridional cooking, full of garlic, anchovies, and ripe summer tomatoes.
- southern
everyday neutral word; lacks the cultural and literary flavour
- austral
very formal, mostly scientific; refers to the southern hemisphere
- Mediterranean
narrower; ties the trait specifically to the Mediterranean region
- northern
neutral opposite
- septentrional
very formal counterpart; refers to the north
文法句型
meridional + noun
be + meridional
用法筆記
Mostly used in cultural, literary, or travel writing about France, Italy, or Spain. Subject is usually a noun naming a feature of southern life (light, accent, cooking, rhythm, warmth), not a person directly.
常見錯誤
2. running in a north–south line, or describing measurements, winds, and motion tha
running in a north–south line, or describing measurements, winds, and motion that follow the imaginary north–south lines drawn on a globe between the two poles
The textbook explained meridional winds as air that moves from the equator toward the poles.
meridional + winds, technical geography sense
Putri's research measured meridional heat transport in the Pacific Ocean over the past forty years.
meridional + heat transport (climate-science collocation)
Climate models often split global flow into meridional and east–west components for easier study.
Sailors once relied on the sun's meridional altitude at noon to work out their latitude at sea.
- north–south
plain everyday equivalent; preferred outside scientific writing
- longitudinal
overlaps in geometry but stresses length along an axis, not the polar direction
- zonal
describes east–west motion or measurement; the standard scientific opposite
文法句型
meridional + noun
用法筆記
Specialist term in geography, meteorology, and astronomy. Distinguish from sense 1 by the company it keeps: sense 2 sits next to scientific nouns (winds, flow, transport, altitude); sense 1 sits next to cultural nouns (accent, cooking, warmth).
常見錯誤
meridional — noun
1. a person born in or living in the southern part of Europe, especially southern F
a person born in or living in the southern part of Europe, especially southern France, usually mentioned to point out cultural traits such as warmth, openness, or a relaxed pace of life
The travel essay claimed that meridionals tend to greet strangers more warmly than people in the colder north.
plural noun use; cultural stereotype context
Nora's grandfather, a proud meridional from Marseille, cooked with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs every day.
a + meridional + from + place
Old French novels often paint meridionals as passionate, loud, and quick to laugh at their own jokes.
Adina argued that calling someone a meridional today sounds old-fashioned and risks repeating tired stereotypes.
- southerner
plain everyday word; preferred in modern English
- Mediterranean
as a noun, names a person from countries around the Mediterranean Sea; broader than just France
- northerner
neutral everyday opposite
文法句型
a meridional
the meridionals
用法筆記
Almost always literary, historical, or essayistic. In modern conversation, 'a southerner' or 'a person from the south of France' is preferred. The word still carries the older stereotype of expressive, sun-loving character — use with awareness of that flavour.