1. Situated in, toward, or facing the east.
2. Coming from the east: eastern breezes.
3. Native to or growing in the east.
4. often Eastern Of, relating to, or characteristic of eastern regions or the East.
5. Eastern
   1. Of or relating to the Eastern Church.
   2. Of or relating to the Eastern Orthodox Church.

[Middle English estern, from Old English ēasterne.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.