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

Rutte pledged to bolster the 32-nation alliance's defenses along its long eastern border with Russia and with Belarus, a Russian ally. — Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026

The shirts were made and distributed by a business association representing companies the eastern region of Valencia. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during her annual State of the Union address at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France on September 16, 2026. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Rutte pledged to bolster the 32-nation alliance’s own defenses along its long eastern border with Russia and with Belarus, a Russian ally. — Liudas Dapkus, Los Angeles Times, 15 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