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
Derived 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.
A California couple attacked by a bear outside their eastern Sierra Nevada home have survived the encounter after fighting off the animal with a water bottle and a hatchet, authorities said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Some 7 million people are displaced within Congo, mostly in the eastern provinces, of which Ituri is one.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026
An Ebola outbreak raging in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has made it even more urgent to broker a ceasefire for the conflict-ravaged region, the European Union's crisis management commissioner said during a visit Sunday.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The Ebola outbreak is concentrated in three provinces of eastern DR Congo, an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom, much of it rural, remote and difficult to reach.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
As the nineteenth century drew to a close, he saw a massive new wave of men flooding into Chicago, fleeing oppression in eastern Europe—from Poland, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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.
