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

East

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 East

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

Laurie Ann Powell, 18, was last seen alive on March 8, 1988, walking along a road in Gloucester County, which is about 60 miles east of Richmond, Virginia State Police spokesperson Robin Lawson said at a news conference on Friday. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2025

Tenth Street will be closed in both directions east of Mill Avenue. —Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 14 Nov. 2025

Adjective

In east Charlotte, church members said a typical Saturday turned chaotic when masked federal agents arrived and detained one of the congregants. —Charlotte Observer, 15 Nov. 2025

Vance was in east Tennessee for a private fundraising event Friday evening, WBIR reported. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025

Noun

Russia has been slowly advancing on Pokrovsk for nearly two years, after the breakthrough at Avdiivka further east in early 2024. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025

The driver took off, sheriff's office officials said, fleeing at high speed, until the deputy did a PIT maneuver to stop the car on Highway 60 east of Interstate 25. —Austen Erblat, CBS News, 16 Nov. 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

Rhymes for east

• beast
• ceased
• creased
• feast
• fleeced
• geest
• greased
• leased
• least
• pieced
• priest
• yeast

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