western

[wes-tern]

adjective

1. lying toward or situated in the west.

   our company's western office.

2. directed or proceeding toward the west.

   a western migration.

3. coming or originating from the west, as a wind.

4. (often initial capital letter),  of, pertaining to, living in, or characteristic of the West, especially the western U.S..

   a Western ranch.

5. (usually initial capital letter),  Occidental.

   to adopt Western dress.

6. (usually initial capital letter),  of or relating to the non-Communist countries of Europe and the Americas.

   Western trade agreements.

7. (initial capital letter),  of or relating to the Western Church.

noun

1. (often initial capital letter),  a story, movie, or radio or television play about the U.S. West of the 19th century.

2. western sandwich.

3. a person or thing from a western region or country.

western

¹

/ ˈwɛstən /

adjective

1. situated in or towards or facing the west

2. going or directed to or towards the west

3. (of a wind, etc) coming or originating from the west

4. native to, inhabiting, or growing in the west

5. music See country and western

Western

²

/ ˈwɛstən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the West as opposed to the Orient

2. (formerly) of, relating to, or characteristic of the Americas and the parts of Europe not under Communist rule

3. of, relating to, or characteristic of the western states of the US

noun

1. a film, book, etc, concerned with life in the western states of the US, esp during the era of exploration and early development

Other Word Forms

• anti-Western adjective
• nonwestern adjective
• pro-Western adjective
• unwestern adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of western¹

before 1050; 1905–10 western for def. 8; Middle English, Old English westerne, equivalent to west west + -erne -ern

Example Sentences

Since then, it has occupied areas of northern and western Georgia comprising almost one-fifth of the country and installed puppet governments that have prevented the return of ethnic Georgian citizens, according to Tbilisi.

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Odinga inspired a passionate and loyal following throughout his political career, especially in western Kenya, where he was from.

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"You see tourists dressed in western clothing here all the time and no-one bats an eyelid," she adds.

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At least 20 people were killed after a bus caught fire while travelling in the western Indian state of Rajasthan on Tuesday, local media reports and officials said.

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Inside, western shirts of blacks and reds hang from the walls, which are befittingly pink.

Read more on Los Angeles Times