I. ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ēən ə l adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French meridionel, from Late Latin meridionalis, irregular from Latin meridies noon, south + -alis -al — more at meridian
1. : of, relating to, or situated in the south : having a southern aspect : southern , southerly
should attract meridional travelers weary of the big-business aspects of Continental tourism — Dore Ashton
2. : of, relating to, or characteristic of people living in the south especially of France
welcomed him with meridional hospitality, and filled his leisure hours with the noisy boisterous fun of Provence — Dorothy C. Fisher
3. obsolete
a. : of or relating to the position of the sun at noon
b. : of, relating to, or characteristic of noon or midday
4.
a. : of or relating to a meridian : following a north-south direction
a meridional circulation which transports poleward the excess energy received at tropical latitudes — Harry Wexler
b. : marked with lines in the plane of the axis
5. of a map : having a meridian as the vertical axis and bounded by the circle of a meridian
• me·rid·i·o·nal·ly -n ə lē adverb
II. noun
( -s )
: an inhabitant of southern Europe and especially southern France
a typical meridional — Rosemary Benet