east
UK[iːst]US[iːst]
n
the direction from which the sun rises, one of the four main points of the compass
adj
situated in, directed towards, or facing the east
adv
to or towards the east
Etymology
the word "east" originates from the old english "ēast," which is itself derived from the proto-germanic "austra-." this germanic root is connected to the proto-indo-European "aus-," meaning "to shine" or "dawn," which is also the source for the greek goddess of dawn, "eos," and the latin "aurora." the semantic logic is direct: the east is the direction of the rising, shining sun. over centuries, this fundamental geographical and astronomical reference point has retained its core meaning in english, evolving from a simple directional noun to also function as an adjective and adverb.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form. it is a linguistic fossil from old english, derived from a common germanic root.
Examples
the sun rises in the east.
they live on the east coast of the country.
the storm is moving east.