Etymology: < south n. + -er suffix¹.

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian sūther , sūder , sūr , Middle Dutch sūder (Dutch zuider ), Middle Low German sǖder , Old High German sundar (Middle High German sunder ), ultimately showing a formation < the same base as south adv. with different suffixation; compare adverb and noun forms with final -r cited at south adv., adj., n., and prep. Compare also Old Saxon sūðar- (in sūðarliudi people who live in the south), and also (probably showing comparative formations on the Germanic base of south adv.) Old Icelandic syðri, synnri, Old Swedish syþre, södhre, suþre, sundre (Swedish södra), Old Danish syndræ (Danish søndre).In Old English attested only in weak forms (sūð(e)ra , masculine, sūð(e)re , feminine and neuter), with the ending probably reanalysed as the comparative -er suffix³. This word, together with sūðerne southern adj. (in origin a derivative from the same Germanic base), is the usual adjective for ‘southern’ in Old English (Old English sūð is only attested as an adverb and as the first element of compounds); in later use largely superseded by southern adj. and south adj. (compare discussion at south adv., adj., n., and prep.). The late Old English form sȳþera shows analogical mutation of the stem vowel, either after mutated forms like firra (comparative of feorr far adv.), or (perhaps more likely) by Scandinavian influence (compare Old Icelandic syðri (earlier synnri ), Norwegian søre , (Bokmål) søndre , Old Swedish syþre , södhre (Swedish södra ), Old Danish syndræ (Danish søndre ), all from a Scandinavian base with a form of the comparative suffix in -i- : see discussion at -er suffix³); compare also late Old English nyrðra norther adj. Also attested early in place names, e.g. Suþrige, lit. ‘southern district’ (c900; now Surrey); compare post-classical Latin in regione Sudergeona, iuxta fluuium Tamensem (Bede Historia Ecclesiastica 4. 7) with the Latin form apparently reflecting an Old English genitive plural form denoting the inhabitants of Surrey (the corresponding passage in the Old English translation has in Suðrigna lande bi Temese streame); interestingly, an exact continental parallel to the English name is shown by the German place name Sondergai in Bavaria. Compare also Sutreia, Norfolk, lit. ‘southern island’ (1086; also Suthereye in a 12th-cent. copy of a charter of 942; now Southery), Sudretuna, Suffolk (1086; now Sotherton), Suthram, Sussex (1262; now Southerham Farm).

Etymology: Probably < souther adj.; perhaps compare -er suffix³. Compare wester v., easter v.¹, norther v. Compare also later south v.