eastern

American  

[ee-stern] / ˈi stərn /

adjective

1. lying toward or situated in the east.

   the eastern half of the island.

2. directed or proceeding toward the east.

   an eastern route.

3. coming from the east.

   an eastern wind.

4. (often initial capital letter) of or relating to the East in the U.S..

   an eastern congressman.

5. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Eastern Church or to any of the churches comprising it.

6. (usually initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of the East; Oriental.

7. (usually initial capital letter) (formerly) of or relating to the Soviet Union and its allies.

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eastern British  

/ ˈiːstən /

adjective

1. situated in or towards the east

2. facing or moving towards the east

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Other Word Forms

• noneastern
  adjective
• pro-Eastern
  adjective
• uneastern
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of eastern

before 1000; Middle English esterne, Old English ēasterne; akin to Old Norse austroenn, Old High German ōstrōni. See east , -ern

Example Sentences

In the coming days, the heatwave is expected to extend into eastern Europe.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

Two years later, a fourth warship took up station—off Taiwan’s eastern coast—resulting in a near-nonstop presence on all four sides.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026

The Met Office amber warning for extreme heat, external will come into force across much of southern and eastern England and parts of south Wales from 01:00 BST on Monday.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

At the same time, El Niño conditions in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific were strengthening during late spring 2026, a pattern that can increase the likelihood of heavy rainfall across the U.S.

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026

She had already arranged it with a network of trusted people who would help us, transporting us via a series of safe houses to the eastern front and into Russia.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman