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easterly

[ee-ster-lee]
adjective
  1. moving, directed, or situated toward the east: an easterly course.
  2. (especially of a wind) coming from the east: an easterly gale.
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adverb
  1. toward the east.
  2. from the east.
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noun, plural east·er·lies.
  1. a wind that blows from the east.
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Origin of easterly

1540–50; obsolete easter eastern (see easterling) + -ly
Related formseast·er·li·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for easterlies

Historical Examples

  • The “westerlies” meet “easterlies” from the polar highs at about 50-60° N. and S.

    Deserts

    A. S. Walker

British Dictionary definitions for easterlies

easterly

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or situated in the east
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adverb, adjective
  1. towards or in the direction of the east
  2. from the eastan easterly wind
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noun plural -lies
  1. a wind from the east
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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

Word Origin and History for easterlies

easterly

adv.

1540s, from easter (late 14c.), variant of eastern + -ly (2). As a noun meaning "easterly wind," by 1901. Old English easterlic meant "pertaining to Easter."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
easterlies in Science

easterly

[ē′stər-lē]
  1. A wind, especially a prevailing wind, that blows from the east. The trade winds in tropical regions and the prevailing winds in the polar regions are easterlies. See illustration at wind.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.