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east

[ eest ]

/ ist /

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See synonyms for east on Thesaurus.com

noun

a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the right of north. Abbreviation: E

the direction in which this point lies.

(usually initial capital letter) a quarter or territory situated in this direction.

the East,

the parts of Asia collectively lying east of Europe and including Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia, India, China, etc.; the Orient.
the Far East.
(formerly) the Soviet Union and its allies.
the part of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.
the part of the U.S. east of the Allegheny Mountains.
New England.
Ancient and Medieval History. the Eastern Roman Empire.

adjective

directed or proceeding toward the east.

coming from the east: an east wind.

lying toward or situated in the east: the east side.

Ecclesiastical. being at the end of the church where the high altar is: an east window.

adverb

to, toward, or in the east: an island located east of Sumatra; He went east.

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Origin of east

before 900; Middle English est,Old English ēast; cognate with German ost,Old Norse austr; akin to Latin aurōra,Greek aúōs (dialectal variant of ēṓs, héōs) dawn. See Easter

OTHER WORDS FROM east

eastness, noun

Words nearby east

ease out, easier said than done, easily, easiness, Easley, east, East Africa, East African, East African Community, East African oryx, East Anglia

Other definitions for east (2 of 2)

East.

or east.

abbreviation

eastern.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use east in a sentence

It’s moved to nearly every state east of the Rocky Mountains, and is likely to cause the virtual extinction of ash trees.
Does a cold winter mean fewer bugs in the summer?|Philip Kiefer|February 25, 2021|Popular-Science
After zigzagging through the plains of north India for some 1,500 miles, it drains into the Bay of Bengal in India’s east.
When a Body Meets a Boatman on the Ganges|Eugene Robinson|February 23, 2021|Ozy
Designed and constructed by master treehouse builder Pete Nelson, TreeHouse Point is a family-owned retreat in the Snoqualmie Valley, 30 minutes east of Seattle.
10 Adventure Lodges You Can Have to Yourself|Megan Michelson|February 23, 2021|Outside Online
You can also get there from State Route 140, which passes northeast through Merced, or east on State Route 120, which coasts through Groveland before connecting with the park’s Big Oak Flat Road.
The Ultimate Yosemite National Park Travel Guide|Shawnté Salabert|February 22, 2021|Outside Online

Satellite images show that, between 1976 and 2000, there have been dramatic changes to the strips of land between Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, which is located less than 100 km to the east.
What increased land use means for Mount Kilimanjaro’s already isolated ecosystem|Claudia Hemp|February 20, 2021|Quartz
According to Pew, 14 of the 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa have blasphemy laws.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Please, please do not permit this to happen here in Florida,” wrote Cris K. Smith of East Polk County.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They took cover inside a print works to the north east of Paris, where they held a member of staff as a hostage.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Sales are best in Asia, London, the Middle East, and Russia.
Handbags: The More You Pay, The Smaller They Shrink|Elizabeth Landers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Eventually, DeCrow and Seidenberg filed suit against the East Village mainstay.
The Bars That Made America Great|Nina Strochlic|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Descending the Alps to the east or south into Piedmont, a new world lies around and before you.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The east window in this church has been classed as the A1 of modern painted windows.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
The cantonment was split into two sections by an irregular ravine, or nullah, running east and west.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Of course, my first row was a long one, quite through the city from west to east, including innumerable turnings and windings.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
Turn we our backs to the cold gloomy north, to the wet windy west, to the dry parching east—on to the south!
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various

British Dictionary definitions for east (1 of 2)

east

/ (iːst) /

noun

one of the four cardinal points of the compass, 90° clockwise from north and 180° from west

the direction along a parallel towards the sunrise, at 90° to north; the direction of the earth's rotation

the east (often capital) any area lying in or towards the eastRelated adjective: oriental

cards (usually capital) the player or position at the table corresponding to east on the compass

adjective

situated in, moving towards, or facing the east

(esp of the wind) from the east

adverb

in, to, or towards the east

archaic (of the wind) from the east

Symbol: E

Word Origin for east

Old English ēast; related to Old High German ōstar to the east, Old Norse austr, Latin aurora dawn, Greek eōs, Sanskrit usās dawn, morning

British Dictionary definitions for east (2 of 2)

East

/ (iːst) /

noun the East

the continent of Asia regarded as culturally distinct from Europe and the West; the Orient

the countries under Communist rule and formerly under Communist rule, lying mainly in the E hemisphereCompare West (def. 2)

(in the US)

the area north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi
the area north of Maryland and east of the Alleghenies

adjective

of or denoting the eastern part of a specified country, area, etc
(as part of a name)East Sussex

Derived forms of East

Eastern, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012