eastern
Americanadjective
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lying toward or situated in the east.
the eastern half of the island.
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directed or proceeding toward the east.
an eastern route.
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coming from the east.
an eastern wind.
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(often initial capital letter) of or relating to the East in the U.S..
an eastern congressman.
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(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Eastern Church or to any of the churches comprising it.
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(usually initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of the East; Oriental.
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(usually initial capital letter) (formerly) of or relating to the Soviet Union and its allies.
adjective
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situated in or towards the east
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facing or moving towards the east
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cooler air will move in across northern and eastern of areas of England on Wednesday and bring a break to the heatwave.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
An inside student might say that prisons in eastern Oregon used to be mental institutions and Army barracks; an outside student might speak about modernity and the need for discipline and control under capitalism.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
William Clemmer, a doctor with nonprofit IMA World Health in Goma, another affected city in eastern Congo, said mistrust is compounding the medical challenges of the epidemic itself.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Bridges, apartment blocks, schools and hospitals now rise in eastern Libya, which had long been marginalised under Gaddafi.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, which monitors releases of radioactive isotopes around the world, was also watching the unfolding disaster on the eastern coast of Japan.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
