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• west
  west

  noun

  a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the left when facing north, corresponding to the point where the sun is seen to set. W
• West
  West

  noun

  Benjamin, 1738–1820, U.S. painter, in England after 1763.
• West.
  West.

  abbreviation

  western.

west

¹ American  

[west] / wɛst /

noun

1. a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the left when facing north, corresponding to the point where the sun is seen to set. W

2. the direction in which this point lies.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a region or territory situated in this direction, especially the western part of the U.S., as distinguished from the East.

   a vacation trip through the West.

4. the West,

   1. the western part of the world, as distinguished from the East or Orient; the Occident.

   2. the non-Communist countries of Western Europe and the Americas.

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adjective

1. directed or proceeding toward the west.

2. coming from the west.

   a west wind.

3. lying toward or situated in the west.

4. Ecclesiastical. designating, lying toward, or in that part of a church opposite to and farthest from the altar.

adverb

1. to, toward, or in the west.

   The car headed west.

2. from the west.

   The wind blew west.

idioms

1. go west, to die.

West ² American  

[west] / wɛst /

noun

1. Benjamin, 1738–1820, U.S. painter, in England after 1763.

2. Jerome Alan Jerry, born 1938, U.S. basketball player, coach, and executive.

3. Mae, 1893–1980, U.S. actress.

4. Nathanael Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein, 1902?–40, U.S. novelist.

5. Paul, 1930–2015, U.S. poet, essayist, and novelist, born in England.

6. Dame Rebecca Cicily Isabel Fairfield Andrews, 1892–1983, English novelist, journalist, and critic, born in Ireland.

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West. ³ American  

Or west.

abbreviation

1. western.

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west ¹ British  

/ wɛst /

noun

1. one of the four cardinal points of the compass, 270° clockwise from north and 180° from east

2. the direction along a parallel towards the sunset, at 270° clockwise from north

3. (often capital) any area lying in or towards the west

4. cards (usually capital) the player or position at the table corresponding to west on the compass

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adjective

1. situated in, moving towards, or facing the west

2. (esp of the wind) from the west

adverb

1. in, to, or towards the west

2. archaic (of the wind) from the west

3. informal

   1. to be lost or destroyed irrevocably

   2. to die

West ² British  

/ wɛst /

noun

1. the western part of the world contrasted historically and culturally with the East or Orient; the Occident

2. (formerly) the non-Communist countries of Europe and America contrasted with the Communist states of the East Compare East

3. 1. that part of the US lying approximately to the west of the Mississippi

   2. (during the Colonial period) the region outside the 13 colonies, lying mainly to the west of the Alleghenies

4. (in the ancient and medieval world) the Western Roman Empire and, later, the Holy Roman Empire

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adjective

1. 1. of or denoting the western part of a specified country, area, etc

   2. ( as part of a name )

      the West Coast

west ³ British  

/ wɛst /

noun

1. Benjamin. 1738–1820, US painter, in England from 1763

2. Kanye , born 1977, US rap singer and producer; his albums include The College Dropout (2004) and Graduation (2007)

3. Mae. 1892–1980, US film actress

4. Nathanael, real name Nathan Weinstein. 1903–40, US novelist: author of Miss Lonely-Hearts (1933) and The Day of the Locust (1939)

5. Dame Rebecca, real name Cicily Isabel Andrews (née Fairfield ). 1892–1983, British journalist, novelist, and critic

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west More Idioms  

1. see go west.

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Etymology

Origin of west

First recorded before 900; from Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German west, Old Norse vestr; compare French ouest, Old French from Old English

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

west West West.

Ospreys are migratory birds which journey from wintering grounds in west Africa to Europe in the spring to breed.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Local officials reported more than 70 people killed in at least five cities in the country’s west, not far from the epicenter in San José del Palmar, in the northern province of Chocó.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Spain is expected to provide excellent conditions for viewing as the eclipse moves across the country from west to east.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

Ahmed had already taken most of his belongings and those of his wife’s to another area farther west.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

And not a hundred yards after they had begun walking west again, the roar of a military Huey helicopter flying low meant that they would make it out alive.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

He also clashed with Khatami’s successor, firebrand Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, disapproving of his populist economic policies and aggressive provocations against the West, according to U.S. diplomatic cables.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

The show played on the West End for nearly 15 years and was adapted into a Netflix film.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

One street visited in the West Midlands was described as "lawless" by an anonymous law enforcement source.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Above-average temperatures were observed across the interior West, Southwest, Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as parts of the Gulf Coast and Southeast.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Of course, the Herdmans weren’t in the Old West, and they weren’t in the children’s encyclopedia either.

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson

“And maybe I’ll meet a Kardashian or a West. Maybe this will be what skyrockets my career and my life.”

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2024

Perhaps most importantly, Boutt points out, "What we see in the Dry Andes is representative of hydrology in all extremely arid regions -- including the U.S. West. It's not limited to lithium mining, either."

From Science Daily ● Apr. 3, 2024

“Only a small fraction of what’s happening is reported to even us and then we report to you in the West. Not many people know there is a revival going on in Iran.”

From Washington Times ● Nov. 17, 2023

"I almost see Yeezy as a brand separately from Kanye West. Obviously, he controls much of it, but for some reason I see Yeezy as separate. So I will continue with it."

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2022

“Don’t even go there, West. You said we shouldn’t talk about JP to each other.”

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith