east

1 of 3

adverb

ˈēst 

: to, toward, or in the east

east

2 of 3

adjective

1

: situated toward or at the east

an east window

2

: coming from the east

an east wind

east

3 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction of sunrise : the direction toward the right of one facing north

b

: the compass point directly opposite to west

2

East

a

: regions lying to the east of a specified or implied point of orientation

b

: regions having a culture derived from ancient non-European especially Asian areas

3

: the altar end of a church

4

often East

a

: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the east or at the right of a diagram

b

: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity

Examples of east in a Sentence

Adjective

the east side of town

Noun

The city is framed by mountain ranges to the east and west.

The wind blew from the east.

This summer has been unusually hot in the East.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Moorea, French Polynesia Roughly 12 miles east of Tahiti and a 45-minute ferry ride from Fa’a’a International Airport, Moorea is the second largest of French Polynesia’s Windward Islands and certainly one to visit. —Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 May 2026

Appropriately, 19 miles east of their first major trophy lift since the 2021/22 League Cup, City men busied themselves by lifting the FA Cup over Chelsea in what was Pep Guardiola’s 24th visit to Wembley Stadium and his 20th major trophies as City manager. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026

Adjective

The question hung like black crepe in his family’s small apartment on Buffalo’s distressed east side. —Dan Barry, New York Times, 12 May 2026

Grand Geneva Resort and Spa, Lake Geneva Geneva Lake, ringed by resorts, vacation homes, and 19th-century mansions, is anchored by the town of Lake Geneva on its east end. —Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 9 May 2026

Noun

The bedroom can fit a king and has three closets and appealing black metal casement windows with dual exposures — east and north. —Katie McDonough, Curbed, 11 May 2026

Less than a mile east of The Hangar is a PopStroke mini-golf center that opened little more than a year ago. —Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English est, from Old English ēast; akin to Old High German ōstar to the east, Latin aurora dawn, Greek ēōs, heōs

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

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

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing east

• back east
• down east
• east by north
• east by south
• east-northeast
• east-southeast
• north by east
• northeast by east
• south by east
• southeast by east
• the east

Rhymes for east

• beast
• ceased
• creased
• feast
• fleeced
• geest
• greased
• leased
• least
• pieced
• priest
• yeast

Kids Definition

east

1 of 3 adverb

ˈēst 

: to or toward the east

east

2 of 3 adjective

1

: located toward or at the east

the east door of the school

2

: coming from the east

an east wind

east

3 of 3 noun

1

a

: the general direction of sunrise

b

: the compass point directly opposite to west

2

capitalized : regions or countries east of a specific place