antebellum

adjective

an·​te·​bel·​lum ˌan-ti-ˈbe-ləm How to pronounce antebellum (audio)
: existing before a war
especially : existing before the American Civil War
antebellum houses
the antebellum South

Examples of antebellum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Invented in antebellum New Orleans, this citrusy cocktail with a sugar rim was a precursor to the sidecar. Saveur Editors, Saveur, 14 Feb. 2024 Truth was likely trolling her interviewers, who kept asking her age, while capitalizing off the appetite some white Americans had for antebellum stories. Cynthia Greenlee, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 There’s no question why the spotlight remains, with blankets of Spanish moss crisscrossing over the town’s main pathways, while dreamy, antebellum architecture hugs every corner. Sallie Funderburk, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Following British tradition, the earliest custard pies were recorded as puddings in antebellum cookbooks. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 The time is well after the Civil War, though, because Ol’ Cap’n is nostalgic for the antebellum way of life. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2023 It was used to justify the concept of racial hierarchy, particularly in the antebellum South, where it was linked to supporting slavery. Melissa Noel, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024 Books, Arts & Manners Deciphering the Arabic Writings of a Slave in Antebellum America When starting to learn Arabic, few students of the language would expect the journey to lead them back to slavery in the antebellum South. Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 10 Aug. 2023 Rembrandt painted it in 1852 during an antebellum revival of interest in Washington. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 27 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antebellum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin ante bellum before the war

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of antebellum was in 1826

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Dictionary Entries Near antebellum

Cite this Entry

“Antebellum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antebellum. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

antebellum

adjective
an·​te·​bel·​lum ˌant-i-ˈbel-əm How to pronounce antebellum (audio)
: existing before a war
especially : existing before the American Civil War

More from Merriam-Webster on antebellum

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