Where does “East” come from?

East (English) comes from Middle English est, from Old English ēast, from Old Norse austr, from Proto-Germanic austrą, from Proto-Germanic austraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros — in the direction of dawn, east.

East (English): Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie

Definitions

  1. Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie

Ancestry of “East”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishesteast, easternness; A location to the south; the...
2Old Englishēasteast; eastern
3Old Norseaustreast
4Proto-Germanicaustrąeast; east, eastward
5Proto-Germanicaustrazeast, eastern
6Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwsterosin the direction of dawn, east

Words derived from “East”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros →