easterly

UK: /ˈiːstə^rli/ US: (ē′stər lē)

Inflections of 'easterly' (n): npl: easterlies

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

east•er•ly  (ē′stər lē), adj., adv., n., pl. -lies. 
adj. 

1. Naval Terms moving, directed, or situated toward the east:
   an easterly course.
2. Naval Terms, Meteorology (esp. of a wind) coming from the east:
   an easterly gale.

adv. 

3. Naval Terms toward the east.
4. Naval Terms from the east.

n. 

5. Naval Terms, Meteorology a wind that blows from the east.

• obsolete easter eastern (see easterling) + -ly 1540–50

east′er•li•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

easterly / ˈiːstəlɪ/ adjective

1. of, relating to, or situated in the east

adverb , adjective

1. towards or in the direction of the east
2. from the east: an easterly wind

noun ( -lies)

1. a wind from the east

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

east /ist/   n. [uncountable; usually: the + ~]

1. Geography, Nautical, Naval Terms one of the four points of the compass, 90° to the right of north.Abbr: E
2. Geography the direction in which this point lies.
3. [usually: East] a region or territory situated in this direction.

adj. 

4. Nautical, Naval Terms directed or proceeding toward the east:
   an east window.
5. Naval Terms coming from the east.
6. lying toward or situated in the east.

adv. 

7. Nautical, Naval Terms to, toward, or in the east:
   heading east.

east•er•ly, adj., adv. 
east•ward /ˈistwɚd/  adj., adv. 
east•wards, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

east  (ēst), n. 

1. Geography, Nautical, Naval Terms a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the right of north. Abbr: E
2. Geography the direction in which this point lies.
3. (usually cap.) a quarter or territory situated in this direction.
4. Place Names the East:
   • the parts of Asia collectively lying east of Europe and including Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia, India, China, etc.;
     the Orient.
   • the Far East.
   • Government (formerly) the Soviet Union and its allies.
   • the part of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.
   • the part of the U.S. east of the Allegheny Mountains.
   • New England.
   • , Ancient History, World History [Ancient and Medieval Hist.] the Eastern Roman Empire.

adj. 

5. Nautical, Naval Terms directed or proceeding toward the east.
6. Naval Terms coming from the east:
   an east wind.
7. lying toward or situated in the east:
   the east side.
8. Religion [Eccles.] being at the end of the church where the high altar is:
   an east window.

adv. 

9. Nautical, Naval Terms to, toward, or in the east:
   an island located east of Sumatra; He went east.

• bef. 900; Middle English est, Old English ēast; cognate with German ost, Old Norse austr; akin to Latin aurōra, Greek aúōs (dialect, dialectal variant of ēó̄s, héōs) dawn. See Easter

east′ness, n. 

East., 

1. eastern.

Also, east.