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
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The South Carolina Historical Society, a private institution founded in 1855, is the first stop for researchers seeking information about the antebellum period. Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026 The doc explores the unsettling clash between history and memory in a small Mississippi town that’s become an antebellum tourist destination. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 1 Feb. 2026 Today, visitors come for river cruises, the local garden clubs, which organizes pilgrimages in the fall and spring, and historic home tours powered by an antebellum tourism industry. Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026 In a nation lacking Roman ruins or Mesoamerican pyramids, the antebellum mansions of the Old South play a nearly perfect substitute. Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for antebellum

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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Cite this Entry

“Antebellum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antebellum. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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

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