east

1 of 3

adverb

ˈēst 

: to, toward, or in the east

east

2 of 3

adjective

1

: situated toward or at the east

an east window

2

: coming from the east

an east wind

east

3 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction of sunrise : the direction toward the right of one facing north

b

: the compass point directly opposite to west

2

capitalized

a

: regions lying to the east of a specified or implied point of orientation

b

: regions having a culture derived from ancient non-European especially Asian areas

3

: the altar end of a church

4

often capitalized

a

: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the east or at the right of a diagram

b

: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity

Examples of east in a Sentence

Adjective

the east side of town

Noun

The city is framed by mountain ranges to the east and west.

The wind blew from the east.

This summer has been unusually hot in the East.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

About 40 miles east in Eaton Canyon, where a second fire that spread through the community of Altadena killed 17 people, residents reported the first sign of fire at 6:10 p.m., but the first evacuation order didn’t go out until 7:26 p.m. — after residents started leaving on their own. —Jonathan Wolfe, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Mount Hood, which is located about 70 miles east of Portland, is Oregon's tallest peak at approximately 11,240 feet, according to the U.S. Forest Service. —Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2025

Adjective

Cleaver said the work has been a team effort to ensure that Parade Park residents can remain in their homes and the community can receive redevelopment needed to create affordable housing for families on Kansas City’s east side. —Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 17 Jan. 2025

The 130,000-square-foot complex is taking shape in Chandler Park on the city's east side. —Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, 3 Jan. 2025

Noun

The tiny tropical country, with a population of just 22,000, sits north of Indonesia and east of the Philippines, near what’s called the Coral Triangle. —Jennifer Billock, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2025

The sergeant had been at his home in Arcadia, east of Altadena, a week earlier, when the winds suddenly picked up and a fire raging in the Angeles National Forest began descending down a hillside toward his house. —Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English est, from Old English ēast; akin to Old High German ōstar to the east, Latin aurora dawn, Greek ēōs, heōs

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing east

• back east
• down east
• east by north
• east by south
• east-northeast
• east-southeast
• north by east
• northeast by east
• south by east
• southeast by east
• the east

Kids Definition

east

1 of 3 adverb

ˈēst 

: to or toward the east

east

2 of 3 adjective

1

: located toward or at the east

the east door of the school

2

: coming from the east

an east wind

east

3 of 3 noun

1

a

: the general direction of sunrise

b

: the compass point directly opposite to west

2

capitalized : regions or countries east of a specific place