eastern

adjective

east·​ern ˈē-stərn 

1

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

2

Eastern

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

The Engadin Valley is part of the eastern Swiss Alps in the canton of Graubünden with about 25,000 inhabitants and the highest mountains are in the Bernina Range. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026

Snorkelers and divers are in luck as well, as Andros is home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world, stretching nearly 200 miles along its eastern coast. — Joey Skladany, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

From early on, there were divisions between Ladino-speaking Sephardic Jews, with ancestral ties to medieval Spain and Portugal, and Yiddish-speaking Ashkenazi Jews, who traced their heritage to central and eastern Europe. — Ashley Walters, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

In the 1990s, there was a push to teach regional languages at schools in the eastern Caribbean and offer university degrees in them as officials fought to preserve and promote the centuries-old language and its variations. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for eastern

• northeastern
• southeastern

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