eastern

adjective east·ern \ ˈē-stərn \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of eastern

1 capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated East

2 capitalized

a : of, relating to, or being the Christian churches originating in the church of the Eastern Roman Empire

b : eastern orthodox

3 a : lying toward the east

b : coming from the east

an eastern wind

—

easternmost

play \ˈē-stərn-ˌmōst\ adjective

See eastern defined for English-language learners

See eastern defined for kids

Examples of eastern in a Sentence

They live in the eastern part of the state.
the eastern shore of the river

Recent Examples of eastern from the Web

The government said rebels in Douma, in eastern Ghouta, were in a state of collapse and spreading false news, the report said.

— dom calicchio, Fox News, "Syria poison gas attack kills at least 40, activists and medics say," 8 Apr. 2018
Douma is in the suburbs of Damascus known as eastern Ghouta.

— Washington Post, "Activists, medics: Gas attack near Syrian capital kills 40," 8 Apr. 2018
In Bitter Money, which runs a little under three hours, Wang considers the textile industry in the eastern city of Huzhou, where (according to a final title card) more than 300,000 laborers live.

— ben sachs, Chicago Reader, "Film / Foreign / Money Check out the masterful documentary Bitter Money for an eye-opening lesson in modern Chinese economics," 30 Mar. 2018
Pro-Assad forces now control more than 90 percent of eastern Ghouta.

— dominique soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Eastern Ghouta exodus: As rebel area falls, many take leap into 'unknown'," 28 Mar. 2018
Even in large eastern cities, where urban dwellers had never seen a mustang, their image represented freedom.

— bob kustra and the reader’s corner team, idahostatesman, "Reader’s Corner: A timely look at America’s mustangs and their place in the Western landscape | Idaho Statesman," 23 Mar. 2018
Ever since, the bombs have battered the region of eastern Ghouta.

— annabell van den berghe, Teen Vogue, "Syria's War Has Entered Its Seventh Year," 15 Mar. 2018
The exodus could prove a key moment in eastern Ghouta, one of the seven-year-old war's biggest battles, in which the fate of civilians trapped in the siege zone has been central.

— NBC News, "Thousands flee besieged eastern Ghouta as Syrian army advances," 15 Mar. 2018
Another aid convoy is scheduled to enter eastern Ghouta on Thursday, but Laerke said security measures must be guaranteed for this to happen.

— Bloomberg.com, "Violence Halts Rare Aid Delivery to Syria’s Eastern Ghouta," 6 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eastern.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of eastern

Middle English estern, from Old English ēasterne; akin to Old High German ōstrōni eastern, Old English ēast east

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

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EASTERN Defined for English Language Learners

eastern

adjective

Definition of eastern for English Language Learners

: located toward the east
Eastern : of or relating to the countries of Asia

EASTERN Defined for Kids

eastern

adjective east·ern \ ˈē-stərn \

Definition of eastern for Students

1 : lying toward or coming from the east

2 often capitalized : of, relating to, or like that of the East

Learn More about eastern

Spanish Central: Translation of eastern Nglish: Translation of eastern for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of eastern for Arabic speakers

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eastern

Definition of eastern

easternmost

Examples of eastern in a Sentence

Recent Examples of eastern from the Web

Origin and Etymology of eastern

EASTERN Defined for English Language Learners

eastern

Definition of eastern for English Language Learners

EASTERN Defined for Kids

eastern

Definition of eastern for Students

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eastern

Definition of eastern

easternmost

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Origin and Etymology of eastern

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