adj · adv · name · noun · verb · 32 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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wĕst
/wɛst/
British, Southern, Standard:/wɛst/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛst
CMU ARPABET:W EH1 S T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Situated or lying in or toward the west; westward.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of wind: from the west.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Of or pertaining to the west; western.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
From the West; occidental.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Designating, or situated in, the liturgical west, that part of a church which is opposite to, and farthest from, the part containing the chancel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adv
Meaning 6
Towards the west; westwards.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
This thoroughfare bears (to the) West.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
name
Meaning 7
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
The western world; i.e. the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
name
Meaning 8
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
The Western Bloc (the non-communist nations of Europe and America).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, historical, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
name
Meaning 9
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
The Western United States (sometimes excluding the West Coast), particularly (historical) in reference to the 19th century Wild West.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
name
Meaning 10
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
The Western Roman Empire, or its successors.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, historical, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
name
Meaning 11
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
The part of the Christian Church whose traditions and practices originated in the territories of the former Western Roman Empire, including the Roman Catholic Church and the churches of the Reformation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: Christianity
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
name
Meaning 12
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
A town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
name
Meaning 13
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
A city in McLennan County, Texas, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
name
Meaning 14
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
An unincorporated community in Wetzel County, West Virginia, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
name
Meaning 15
Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.
A number of townships in the United States, in Illinois (2), Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania, listed under West Township.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
16
name
Meaning 16
One of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the west or on the left of a diagram.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
17
name
Meaning 17
A person (as a bridge player) occupying this position during a specified activity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
18
name
Meaning 18
A surname from Middle English for a newcomer from the west, or someone who lived to the west of a village.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
19
noun
Meaning 19
The direction opposite to that of the earth's rotation, specifically 270°.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
We used to live in the west of the country.
Portugal lies to the west of Spain.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
20
noun
Meaning 20
The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
21
noun
Meaning 21
In a church: the direction of the gallery, opposite to the altar, and opposite to the direction faced by the priest when celebrating ad orientem.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: ecclesiastical, lifestyle, religion
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
22
verb
Meaning 22
To move to the west; (of the sun), to set.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
23
adjective
Meaning 23
situated in or facing or moving toward the west
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: east
24
adverb
Meaning 24
to, toward, or in the west
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
we moved west to Arizona
situated west of Boston
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
25
noun
Meaning 25
a location in the western part of a country, region, or city
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: location
26
noun
Meaning 26
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Occident
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: region
27
noun
Meaning 27
the region of the United States lying to the west of the Mississippi River
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: western United States
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: geographical area, geographic area, geographical region, geographic region
Narrower terms: Wild West
28
noun
Meaning 28
English painter (born in America) who became the second president of the Royal Academy (1738-1820)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Benjamin West
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: painter
29
noun
Meaning 29
United States film actress (1892-1980)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Mae West
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: actress, comedienne
30
noun
Meaning 30
British writer (born in Ireland) (1892-1983)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: due west, westward, W
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cardinal compass point
32
noun
Meaning 32
the direction corresponding to the westward cardinal compass point
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: direction
History
Etymology
PIE word *wek(w)speros From Middle English west, from Old English west, from Proto-West Germanic *westr (“western”), from Proto-Germanic *westrą (“west”), from Proto-Germanic *westraz (“west”), from Proto-Indo-European *wek(w)speros (“evening”). Cognates Cognate with Scots wast (“west”), North Frisian waast, weest, wäst (“west”), Saterland Frisian Wääste (“west”), West Frisian and Dutch west (“west”), German West (“west”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk vest (“west”), Faroese and Icelandic vestur (“west”), Swedish väst, väster (“west”); also with Irish feascar, feasgar (“evening; vespers”), Cornish gorthugher (“evening”), Manx fastyr (“afternoon, evening; vespers”), Scottish Gaelic feasgar (“afternoon, evening”), Latin vesper (“evening”), Ancient Greek ἕσπερος (hésperos, “evening; western”), Latvian vakars (“evening”), Lithuanian vakaras (“evening”), Czech, Slovak and Slovene večer (“evening”), Kashubian wieczór (“evening”), Polish wieczerz, wieczór (“evening”), Russian вечер (večer, “evening”), Serbo-Croatian вече, вечер, veče, večer (“evening”), Armenian գիշեր (gišer, “night”). Compare also Catalan oest (“west”), French ouest (“west”), Galician oeste, ueste (“west”), Italian ovest (“west”), Portuguese, Spanish oeste (“west”) (all ultimately borrowings of the Old English word).
* In most senses and as an English surname, by proprialization from west. * As a Finnish surname, Americanized from Vesterinen.
Across languages
Translations
517 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
արեւմտյան
(arewmtyan)
— towards the west
West Coast Bajau:
barat
— towards the west
Chinese Mandarin:
西
(xī)
— towards the west
Dutch:
west
— towards the west
Dutch:
westelijk
— towards the west
Dutch:
westelijke
— towards the west
Esperanto:
okcidenta
— towards the west
Finnish:
länteen päin
— towards the west
French:
vers l'ouest
— towards the west
West-Frisian:
westlik
— towards the west
German:
westlich
— towards the west
German:
westwärts
— towards the west
Greek:
δυτικός
(dytikós)
— towards the west
Japanese:
西
(nishi)
— towards the west
Northern Kurdish:
(ber bi) rojava
(yê)
— towards the west
Northern Kurdish:
xerb(ê)
(ber bi)
— towards the west
Northern Kurdish:
(berew) rojawa
— towards the west
Northern Kurdish:
(berew) xorawa
— towards the west