west

Etymology

From Middle English west, from Old English west, from Proto-Germanic *westrą. Cognate with Scots wast, Saterland Frisian Saterland Frisian Wääste, West Frisian west, Dutch west, German West, Danish vest. Cognate also with Old French west, French ouest, Spanish oeste, Catalan oest, Galician oeste, Italian ovest (all ultimately borrowings of the English word). Compare also Latin vesper.

Pronunciation

• enPR: wĕst, IPA^(key): /wɛst/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

west (uncountable)

1. One of the four principal compass points, specifically 270°, conventionally directed to the left on maps; the direction of the setting sun at an equinox, abbreviated as W.

Adjective

west

1. Situated or lying in or toward the west; westward.
2. (meteorology) Of wind: from the west.
3. Of or pertaining to the west; western.
4. From the West; occidental.
5. (ecclesiastial) Designating, or situated in, that part of a church which is opposite to, and farthest from, the east, or the part containing the chancel and choir.

Adverb

west (not comparable)

1. Towards the west; westwards.

Verb

west (third-person singular simple present wests, present participle westing, simple past and past participle wested)

1. To move to the west; (of the sun) to set. [from 15th c.]
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, V.prologue:

     Foure times his place he shifted hath in sight, / And twice has risen, where he now doth West, / And wested twice, where he ought rise aright.

Anagrams

• Stew, Tews, ewts, stew, tews, wets

Etymology

From Old Dutch west, from Proto-Germanic *westrą. Compare German West, English and West Frisian west, Danish vest.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst
• IPA^(key): /ʋɛst/

Adverb

west

1. (only in compounds) west
2. westwards

Related terms

noordwest	noord	noordoost
west		oost
zuidwest	zuid	zuidoost

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Noun

west m (invariable)

1. West (historic area of America)

Noun

west f

1. act of tiring or getting tired

Verb

west

1. past participle of wesen

Alternative forms

• weste, wæst, weeste

Etymology

From Old English west, in turn from Proto-Germanic *westrą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wɛst/, /ˈwɛːst(ə)/
• Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

west

1. west (compass point)
2. A location to the south; the south
3. The west wind

Adjective

west

1. west, western
2. At the west

Adverb

west

1. To the west, westards, westbound
2. From the west, western
3. In the west

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *westrą, whence also Old High German west, Old Norse vestr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /west/

Adverb

west

1. west

Etymology

Borrowed from Old English west.

Adverb

west

1. west