eastern

adjective

east·​ern ˈē-stərn 

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

Examples of eastern in a Sentence

They live in the eastern part of the state.

the eastern shore of the river

Recent Examples on the Web

Christianity came to Indonesia with Portuguese traders more than 200 years later, mainly in the eastern islands of Maluku and Timor. —Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 5 Sep. 2024

In the case of the trench warfare that currently dominates the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainians have another new tactic: dragon's fire. —Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024

They were expected to peak at 103 degrees in the far eastern parts of Contra Costa County, at 101 in Concord and in Livermore, Alameda County’s hottest spot. —Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2024

Evergreens, such as the eastern red cedar, American holly, and eastern hemlock, are particularly effective at providing protective places for butterflies, especially when other plants have lost their leaves. —Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing eastern

• eastern bluebird
• eastern equine encephalitis
• eastern equine encephalomyelitis
• eastern hemisphere
• eastern rat snake
• eastern time
• eastern white pine

Kids Definition

eastern

adjective

east·​ern ˈē-stərn 

1

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

Eastern religion

2

: lying toward or coming from the east

easternmost

-ˌmōst 

adjective