east

east · noun, adjective, adverb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ews-
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwss?
3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwsteros
4. Proto-Germanic*austraz
5. Proto-Germanic*austrą
6. Proto-West Germanic*austr
7. Old Englishēast
8. Middle Englishest
9. English todayeast

From Middle English est, from Old English ēast, from Proto-West Germanic *austr, from Proto-Germanic *austrą, from Proto-Germanic *austraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros (“east”). Cognates Cognate with Scots aist (“east”), North Frisian uast, ååst, ööst (“east”), Saterland Frisian Aaste (“east”), West Frisian east (“east”), Dutch oost (“east”), German Ost (“east”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål øst (“east”), Faroese eystur (“east”), Icelandic austur (“east”), Norwegian Nynorsk aust, øst (“east”), Swedish ost, öst, öster (“east”); also with Avestan 𐬎𐬱𐬀𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬭𐬀 (ušastara, “eastern”), Latin auster (“south”).

East · proper noun²

By proprialization from east.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• circa 1300 The eastern region or area; the inhabitants thereof.
• From 1765 A civil parish of Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.