The term SOUTHERN can be broken down into five crossword solutions: AUSTRAL (7 letters), CAL (3 letters), BELLE (5 letters), DRAWL (5 letters), and GOTHIC (6 letters). AUSTRAL refers to the southern hemisphere, which is located south of the equator. CAL is an abbreviation for California, a state in the United States located in the southwestern region. BELLE is a French word meaning 'BEAUTIFUL, ' which is often used to describe the beauty of the southern states. DRAWL is a slow, drawn-out way of speaking that is commonly associated with people from the southern United States. Finally, GOTHIC is a style of architecture that was popular in the southern United States during the 19th century.