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

In addition to offering a deeper understanding of how developments within both Ukraine and Russia led to the 2022 invasion, Miller also richly evokes many places in eastern Ukraine, such as Bakhmut, before they were devastated by Russian artillery. — Nick Holdstock, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026

His social posts over the past 24 hour have focused instead on showing support for the victory of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in elections Germany’s eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt over the weekend. — Nada Aboul Kheir, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026

Such scrutiny facilitated racial profiling, especially against Muslim Americans and those of Middle Eastern descent. — Michael E. Neagle, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026

Engine 39’s three-person crew includes a paramedic and can also staff a wildland fire engine, giving the department additional capacity to respond to wildfires near open and undeveloped land along the city’s eastern and southern flanks, Lawlor said. — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 8 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