meridional
/mə-ˈri-dē-ə-nᵊl/ (ame, mw)
meridional — 形容詞
- meridionalpositive
- more meridionalcomparative
- most meridionalsuperlative
1. belonging to or typical of the southern part of a country or region, used especi
南法風的
形容南方地區或南法的人事物特色
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.
Rania 描述了那個村莊南法風的生活步調：午餐很長、午後小睡、夜晚則熱鬧地在戶外度過。
meridional + noun (rhythm) for southern lifestyle traits
The novel captures a meridional warmth in its kitchens, gardens, and noisy family dinners by the sea.
這部小說捕捉了廚房、花園和海邊熱鬧家庭聚餐中那種南方獨有的溫暖。
meridional + abstract noun (warmth) for southern character
Stephanie's paintings show meridional light pouring over olive groves and pale stone farmhouses.
Stephanie 的畫作呈現出南法風的光線灑落在橄欖樹林和淡色石造農舍上的景象。
Wei was charmed by the meridional accent and the slow, melodic way old people spoke at the market.
Wei 很喜歡那種南方口音，以及市場裡老人家說話時又慢又有韻律的方式。
Critics often praise the chef's meridional cooking, full of garlic, anchovies, and ripe summer tomatoes.
評論家經常稱讚這位主廚的南法風料理，充滿大蒜、鯷魚和熟透的夏季番茄。
- 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
南北向的
指沿著子午線、南北方向的科學測量
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.
課本解釋說，經向風是指從赤道朝兩極移動的空氣。
meridional + winds, technical geography sense
Putri's research measured meridional heat transport in the Pacific Ocean over the past forty years.
Putri 的研究測量了過去四十年間太平洋的南北向熱量輸送。
meridional + heat transport (climate-science collocation)
Climate models often split global flow into meridional and east–west components for easier study.
氣候模型常把全球流動分成南北向和東西向兩部分，方便分析。
Sailors once relied on the sun's meridional altitude at noon to work out their latitude at sea.
過去水手仰賴正午時太陽在子午線上的高度，來推算自己在海上的緯度。
- 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 — 名詞
1. a person born in or living in the southern part of Europe, especially southern F
南歐人
出身南歐尤其南法的人，帶文化色彩
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.
這篇遊記寫到，南歐人比起寒冷北方的人，通常更熱情地問候陌生人。
plural noun use; cultural stereotype context
Nora's grandfather, a proud meridional from Marseille, cooked with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs every day.
Nora 的外公是來自馬賽、十分自豪的南法人，每天用大蒜、橄欖油和新鮮香草下廚。
a + meridional + from + place
Old French novels often paint meridionals as passionate, loud, and quick to laugh at their own jokes.
舊時的法國小說經常把南法人描繪成熱情、嗓門大、常被自己的笑話逗樂的人。
Adina argued that calling someone a meridional today sounds old-fashioned and risks repeating tired stereotypes.
Adina 認為，今天還稱呼別人為南法人聽起來很老派，也容易延續過時的刻板印象。
- 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.