western
[wes-tern]
- lying toward or situated in the west: our company's western office.
- directed or proceeding toward the west: a western migration.
- coming or originating from the west, as a wind.
- (often initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, living in, or characteristic of the West, especially the western U.S.: a Western ranch.
- (usually initial capital letter) Occidental: to adopt Western dress.
- (usually initial capital letter) of or relating to the non-Communist countries of Europe and the Americas: Western trade agreements.
- (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Western Church.
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- (often initial capital letter) a story, movie, or radio or television play about the U.S. West of the 19th century.
- western sandwich.
- a person or thing from a western region or country.
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Origin of western
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for western
Contemporary Examples
In their past calls for attacks on Western targets, AQAP has focused on putting bombs on planes, not revenge attacks.
This time it would be the biggest mistake for the Western press to repeat that—absolutely the biggest mistake.
“You are applying Western metrics to someone who is not using that metric against you,” referring to ISIS, Bolger said.
Although he brings a Western spin to things, he seems equally inspired by the local sense of style.
As a white, educated, Western, middle-class male, I possess most of the unearned privilege the world has to offer.
Historical Examples
How's it come you didn't have a Western Union frank this year?
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
He had a large family at home waiting his return from a Western journey.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
In truth, it's amazing to take count of the Western men among us in all the professions.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
President Harding had died while traveling in the western States.
When Mrs. Western retired to her room for the night, it was not to sleep.
Life in LondonEdwin Hodder
western
- situated in or towards or facing the west
- going or directed to or towards the west
- (of a wind, etc) coming or originating from the west
- native to, inhabiting, or growing in the west
- music See country and western
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Western
- of, relating to, or characteristic of the West as opposed to the Orient
- (formerly) of, relating to, or characteristic of the Americas and the parts of Europe not under Communist rule
- of, relating to, or characteristic of the western states of the US
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- a film, book, etc, concerned with life in the western states of the US, esp during the era of exploration and early development
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for western
adj.
"toward or of the west," Old English westerne (see west) + -erne, suffix denoting direction. The noun meaning "book or movie about the Old West" is first attested 1909.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper