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

Trump then signed a series of bilateral critical minerals deals in eastern and southeastern Asia, including Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025

The accident occurred at the Red Sand Park circuit in Castellon in eastern Spain, Spanish outlets La Razón and Las Provincias reported. —Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025

They are thought to have originated in a Carthusian monastery in the Chartreuse mountains in south-eastern France. —Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting rebels in the resource-rich eastern DRC, and fighting has escalated ahead of the meeting, highlighting the difficulty of reaching — and maintaining — truces, even if overseen by the US president. —semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025

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