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Added 9 October 2026

eastern

/ˈiː.stən/ adjective

Categories: Describing WordsEveryday Words

In Latin: orientalis Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about eastern at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. Lying toward or situated in the east.
    the eastern end of the island
  2. Of or characteristic of eastern regions of the United States.
    the Eastern establishment
  3. Lying in or toward the east.
    the east side of New York

Origin

From Middle English esturne, esterne, from Old English ēasterne (“eastern”), from Proto-Germanic *austrōnijaz (“eastern”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews-ro- (“eastern”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- (“dawn, east”). Cognate with Old Saxon and Old High German ōstrōni (“eastern”), Old Norse austrœnn (“eastern”). Morphologically east + -ern.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: northeasternsoutheasternorientalorientasianmid-atlanticeasteasterlyeast-centralwesterneastward

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