Added 3 October 2026

west

/wɛst/ noun

In Latin: occidens, occāsus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about west at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The direction opposite to that of the earth's rotation, specifically 270°.
We used to live in the west of the country.
The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
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.

adjective

Situated or lying in or toward the west; westward.
Of wind: from the west.
Of or pertaining to the west; western.

adverb

Towards the west; westwards.
This thoroughfare bears (to the) West.

verb

To move to the west; (of the sun), to set.

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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