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• east
  east

  noun

  a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the right of north. E
• East.
  East.

  abbreviation

  eastern.
• East
  East

  noun

  the continent of Asia regarded as culturally distinct from Europe and the West; the Orient

east

¹ American  

[eest] / ist /

noun

1. a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the right of north. E

2. the direction in which this point lies.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a quarter or territory situated in this direction.

4. the East,

   1. the parts of Asia collectively lying east of Europe and including Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia, India, China, etc.

   2. East Asia.

   3. (formerly) the Soviet Union and its allies.

   4. the part of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.

   5. the part of the U.S. east of the Allegheny Mountains.

   6. New England.

   7. Ancient and Medieval History. the Eastern Roman Empire.

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adjective

1. directed or proceeding toward the east.

2. coming from the east.

   an east wind.

3. lying toward or situated in the east.

   the east side.

4. Ecclesiastical. being at the end of the church where the high altar is.

   an east window.

adverb

1. to, toward, or in the east.

   an island located east of Sumatra; He went east.

East. ² American  

Or east.

abbreviation

1. eastern.

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East ¹ British  

/ iːst /

noun

1. the continent of Asia regarded as culturally distinct from Europe and the West; the Orient

2. the countries under Communist rule and formerly under Communist rule, lying mainly in the E hemisphere Compare West

3. 1. the area north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi

   2. the area north of Maryland and east of the Alleghenies

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adjective

1. 1. of or denoting the eastern part of a specified country, area, etc

   2. ( as part of a name )

      East Sussex

east ² British  

/ iːst /

noun

1. one of the four cardinal points of the compass, 90° clockwise from north and 180° from west

2. the direction along a parallel towards the sunrise, at 90° to north; the direction of the earth's rotation

3. (often capital) any area lying in or towards the east

4. cards (usually capital) the player or position at the table corresponding to east on the compass

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adjective

1. situated in, moving towards, or facing the east

2. (esp of the wind) from the east

adverb

1. in, to, or towards the east

2. archaic (of the wind) from the east

Other Word Forms

• eastness
  noun
• Eastern
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of east

First recorded before 900; Middle English est, Old English ēast; cognate with German ost, Old Norse austr; akin to Latin aurōra, Greek aúōs (Aeolic dialect variant of ēṓs, héōs ) “dawn”; see Easter

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

east East. East

Palestinians could easily bypass the tiny area—fewer than five square miles—by traveling a little east.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The warnings span Wednesday and Thursday and include parts of east Wales, the Midlands, northern England, East Anglia and southern England - including London.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Festivalgoers who saw EsDeeKid's set in east London described it as "absolutely insane" with "constant energy".

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

The virus has hit regions in the north and east where health infrastructure is lacking and myriad armed groups have roamed for decades.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

“I can track anything once I have its scent, and I know your grandmother’s scent by heart. However, if she were anywhere in these kingdoms, either east or west, I would have sensed it already.”

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

"Pakistani leaders are conducting shuttle diplomacy throughout the Middle East. The question is whether it is transitory and merely the product of the US president's idiosyncratic preferences."

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

“The reflation trade has made a comeback in recent weeks due to the war in the Middle East. Going forward, the risk is that a higher-for-longer oil regime continues to fuel reflation fears.”

From MarketWatch ● May 2, 2026

“Everything that’s happening in the Middle East. I’m seeing prices rise at the supermarket. And of course we have this constant thread of AI data-centers being built.”

From Barron's ● Apr. 15, 2026

“He shares the goal for an end to the violence and a just, lasting peace in the Middle East. He’s working tirelessly to that end,” Hitt added.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 10, 2024

"The Arryns have always been Wardens of the East. The title goes with the domain."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

The judge cited testimony from investigator Scott Smith, who said soil contamination persists in East Palestine and that dioxins and other compounds found in August 2025 far exceed background levels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The warnings span Wednesday and Thursday and include parts of east Wales, the Midlands, northern England, East Anglia and southern England - including London.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

After taking up comedy classes and street performances on the East Coast, Zucker quickly transitioned to working in theater and eventually moved to L.A. at 18 to pursue comedy, interning at Upright Citizens Brigade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

The outbreak of the Middle East war has dimmed those expectations after the hit to energy-intensive manufacturers, with the government now expecting growth of just 0.5 for 2026 as a whole.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

When Boaz arrived in the East Village, there was nothing open except bagel shops, bodegas, and grocery stores.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny