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.
In the coming days, the heatwave is expected to extend into eastern Europe.
From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026
The U.S. recently sanctioned Rwanda’s military and several senior officers for sponsoring a different insurgent group, called M23, that has seized large chunks of eastern Congo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
After many years of careful planning, Pragati Priya, a 29-year-old content creator from the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, finally decided to enrol in a master's programme abroad this year.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
On Wednesday, Dr Lubambo Maboko Gaston said that a girl and her mother had been taken by "very angry" men from a hospital in the eastern city of Butembo, two days previously.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
They got on transport planes for a night flight to Puerto Cabezas, on the eastern coast of Nicaragua, the jumping-off point for the Bay of Pigs invasion.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
