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eastern

adjective
EE-sturn/ˈi.stɚn/UKEE-stuhn/ˈiː.stən/

3 meanings of eastern

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  1. 1
    in the eastadjective
    Of, facing, situated in, or related to the direction of the east.

    The eastern provinces receive the first light of dawn.

    Hikers reached the mountain's eastern face shortly before noon.

    UsageSmall e for part of a place: eastern Ukraine, the eastern edge. Fixed names usually take a capital: Eastern Europe.

    Similareast, eastward

    Oppositewestern

  2. 2
    Asianadjective
    Relating to the countries and cultures of Asia, especially the Far East; oriental.

    The professor specialized in eastern philosophy and religion.

    They admired the eastern silks displayed at the market.

    UsageOften written with a capital when the cultures are meant: Eastern philosophy, Eastern religions.

    SimilarAsian, oriental

    Oppositewestern, occidental

    Note

    A loose stretching of the compass sense, in which a direction becomes a whole cultural world, as seen from Europe. In phrases like Eastern art or Eastern philosophy it now does the work oriental once did, and it is the safer choice, since oriental reads as dated and, said of people, often as offensive. For people, Asian or a nationality is usual.

  3. 3
    from the eastadjective
    Blowing from the east; coming from an easterly direction.

    An eastern gale battered the coastline through the night.

    Farmers dreaded the dry eastern wind that withered their crops.

    UsageFor winds, east wind and easterly are the more usual words: a cold east wind.

    Similareasterly

    Oppositewesterly

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Origin

From Middle English esterne, from Old English ēasterne ("eastern"), going back through Proto-Germanic *austrōnijaz to a Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ews- ("dawn, east"). It is related to Old High German ōstrōni and Old Norse austrœnn, and is formed from east plus -ern.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

  • Eastern descends from Middle English esterne and Old English ēasterne, meaning eastern. en.wiktionary.org
  • The ancestry includes reconstructed Proto-Germanic *austrōnijaz. en.wiktionary.org
  • The ultimate root is Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews-, glossed dawn, east. en.wiktionary.org
  • Eastern is cognate with Old High German ōstrōni and Old Norse austrœnn. en.wiktionary.org
  • Eastern consists morphologically of east plus -ern. en.wiktionary.org