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• Westerner
  Westerner

  noun

  a native or inhabitant of the West, especially of the western U.S.
• westerner
  westerner

  noun

  (sometimes capital) a native or inhabitant of the west of any specific region, esp of the western states of the US or of the western hemisphere

Westerner

American  

[wes-ter-ner] / ˈwɛs tər nər /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. a native or inhabitant of the West, especially of the western U.S.

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westerner British  

/ ˈwɛstənə /

noun

1. (sometimes capital) a native or inhabitant of the west of any specific region, esp of the western states of the US or of the western hemisphere

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Other Word Forms

• anti-Westerner
  noun
• pro-Westerner
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of Westerner

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; western + -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Westerner westerner

The company’s world-premiere production is a taut, skillful adaptation of the classic Norman Maclean novella about a stalwart Westerner and his gambling-addicted brother.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Harila rejected claims made by Austrian climber Wilhelm Steindl that more would have been done if a Westerner had been hurt on the mountain.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 13, 2023

As John E. Echohawk, executive director of the Native American Rights Fund, told the New York Times’ Adam Liptak: “He’s the only Westerner on the court. He knows these issues. He knows these tribes.”

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2023

"I'm not a Westerner, I'm a Chinese traditionalist," he says with a laugh.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2021

The African sense of immediate family is far different from that of the European or Westerner.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

"What they taught was so defined by Tibetan history and culture that I increasingly found the practices and so forth didn’t mesh with my yearnings, my longings, my needs as a westerner."

From Scientific American ● Oct. 29, 2017

“As a westerner, Ryan understands the challenges of having the federal government as your largest neighbor and I couldn’t think of a better fit for Secretary of the Interior.”

From Slate ● Dec. 14, 2016

Which is to say that when an easterner performs music written by a westerner, it can have its own special meaning.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 5, 2016

He is the first westerner in his sect of master yogis to be ordained as a Mahant, or commander, with the authority to raise his own troops.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2013

“No, I want to know where you have been?” demanded the westerner.

From The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview by Ralph Bonehill

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