eastern

[ee-stern]

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.

eastern

/ ˈiːstən /

adjective

1. situated in or towards the east

2. facing or moving towards the east

Other Word Forms

• noneastern adjective
• pro-Eastern adjective
• uneastern adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of eastern¹

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

Example Sentences

A man who works in a government office in eastern Nangarhar province told the BBC he could open Facebook but could not see pictures or play videos.

From BBC

Today, sizable mounds of horse manure dot Warm Springs, a remote area along the eastern edge of Mono Lake that Marquart had raised the alarm about during his tenure.

From Los Angeles Times

Heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and has intensified on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet, which is an area popular with climbers and hikers.

From BBC

She represents the state’s 3rd Congressional District, which consists of four-and-a-half eastern counties, ranging from rural farmland to the highly urban, Kansas City metropolitan area.

From Salon

Russian forces have occupied most of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, including Luhansk and Donetsk, since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

From BBC