west
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: wĕst
ipa: /wɛst/
rhymes: -ɛst
Forms: form: wests
Etymology: 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”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots wast (“west”), North Frisian waast, weest, wäst (“west”), Saterland Frisian Wääste (“west”), West Frisian, Dutch west (“west”), German West (“west”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk vest (“west”), Faroese, Icelandic vestur (“west”), Swedish väst, väster (“west”); also with Irish feascar, feasgar (“evening; vespers”), Cornish gorthugher (“evening”), Manx fastyr (“afternoon, evening; vespers”), Scottish Gaelic feasgar (“afternoon, evening”), Latin vesper (“evening”), Ancient Greek ἕσπερος (hésperos, “evening; western”), Latvian vakars (“evening”), Lithuanian vakaras (“evening”), Czech, Slovak and Slovene večer (“evening”), Kashubian wieczór (“evening”), Polish wieczerz, wieczór (“evening”), Russian вечер (večer, “evening”), Serbo-Croatian вече, вечер, veče, večer (“evening”), Armenian գիշեր (gišer, “night”). Compare also Catalan oest (“west”), French ouest (“west”), Galician oeste, ueste (“west”), Italian ovest (“west”), Portuguese, Spanish oeste (“west”) (all ultimately borrowings of the Old English word).
Senses: examples: text: We used to live in the west of the country.
text: Portugal lies to the west of Spain.
related: word: W
glosses: The direction opposite to that of the earth's rotation, specifically 270°.
glosses: The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof.
examples: text: In two respects, however, the cathedral [of St. Mary's in Sydney, Australia] differs from English traditions: it is oriented north-south, not east-west; and its main entry is from the south (liturgical west) between the two towers, in the French manner.
ref: 1997, John Haskell, John Callanan, Sydney Architecture, UNSW Press, →ISBN:
text: The seating for honored persons (clergy) is at the liturgical west, opposite the entrance and lectern.
ref: 2000, Mark L. MacDonald, The Chant of Life: Liturgical Studies Four, Church Publishing, Inc., →ISBN, page 98:
text: In most worship spaces, this will put the thurifer and gospeller facing liturgical west, book bearer facing liturgical east (or the book on the reading desk), and the torch bearers turned inward, facing the book.
ref: 2007, Patrick Malloy, Celebrating the Eucharist: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Ministers, Church Publishing, Inc., →ISBN, page 155:
text: Throughout the book I refer directionally to the altar and chancel of St. Andrew's as situated at ecclesiastical east (to avoid overcomplicating matters), not geographical or magnetic southeast. Thus, the altar is located at the east end of the church, and the gallery, at the west.
ref: 2014, Paul Porwoll, Against All Odds: History of Saint Andrew's Parish Church, Charleston, 1706-2013, WestBow Press, →ISBN, page 365:
topics: ecclesiastical
lifestyle
religion
glosses: 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.
Derived terms: Aurora West
Awang West
Bagong Bario West
Barangay West
Barunga West
Broughton West
Cabagñan West
Cadcadir West
Canada West
Cansamada West
Carunuan West
Central West
Cheshire West and Chester
Clayton West
Collective West
Cosili West
East and West Buckland
east-west
Gabu Norte West
Gateway to the West
Geelong West
Gilling West
go west
Grace Park West
Greenock West
Helena-West Helena
hell west and crooked
Hounslow West
Hugpa West
Ilawod West
Inner West
Kahayagan West
Kayan West
Key West
Kilikili West
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Knowle West
La Paz West
Mangato West
Mashonaland West
Mecklenburg-West Pomerania
Mexican west coast rattlesnake
Mid West
Muñoz West
Nangalisan West
Newcastle West
north-northwest
northwest
out west
Pagolingin West
Passage West
Pata West
Poblacion West
Quinte West
Riding Mountain West
Risca West
Rise of the West
Robeston West
Rosedale West Side
Sampao West
San Francisco West
San Jose West
Santo Domingo West
Slender West Lake
Somerset West and Taunton
south-southwest
southwest
South West Rocks
South West Slopes
Spanish West Indies
Sun City West
Teachers Village West
Tritlington and West Chevington
Wessex
West
West Acre
West Africa
West African hemorrhagic fever
West Africa Time
West Allen
West Alvington
West Ambrym
West Amwell
West Aramaic
West Ardsley
West Atlantic trumpetfish
West Auckland
West Azerbaijan
West Bagborough
West Baton Rouge Parish
West Bay
West Beach
West Bedlington
West Bend
West Berkshire
West Betuwe
West Bird's Head
West Bletchley
West Boylston
West Branch
West Bridgford
West Brompton
West Bromwich
West Brunswick
West Buckland
West Burton
Westbury
West Byfleet
west by north
west by south
West Calder
West Carisac
West Carlton
West Carroll Parish
West Chester
Westchester
West Chevington
West Clandon
West Cliff
West Cliffe
Westcliffe
West Coast
West Coast Sound
West Coker
West Cornforth
Westcott
West Country
West Crewkerne
West Curthwaite
West Dean
Westdean
West Deeping
West Deer
West Deptford
West Derby
West Dereham
West Devon
West Didsbury
West Dorset
West Down
West Drayton
West Dunbartonshire
West Ealing
West Earl
West Elgin
West Elk Mountains
West End
wester
Westerham
westerly
western
westerner
West European
West Ewell
West Falkland
West Feliciana Parish
West Felton
West Ferry
West Fields
West Germany
West Gippsland
West Godavari
West Green
West Grey
West Grinstead
West Hagley
West Hallam
West Ham
West Hampstead
West Harrow
West Hartford
West Hartlepool
West Harton
West Haven
West Helmsdale
West Highland
West Hill
West Hills
West Hoathly
West Holywell
West Horndon
West Horsley
West Huntspill
West Hyde
West Indiaman
West Indian elm
West Indies
westing
West Irian
West Jesmond
West Kamias
West Kensington
West Kilbride
West Kirby
West LA
Westlake
West Lake
West Lancashire
Westland
West Lavington
West Liberty
West Lincoln
West Lindsey
West Linton
West Lockinge
West Los Angeles
West Lothian
West Lulworth
West Malling
West Manchester
West Markham
West Marmara
West Meon
West Mersea
West Milford
Westminster
West Monkseaton
West Monkton
Westmont
West Moor
West Moors
Westmoreland
Westmorland
Westmount
West New York
West Nicholson
West Nipissing
West Northamptonshire
West Norwood
Weston
West Oxfordshire
West Palestine
West Palm
West Palm Beach
West Pennard
West Pennsboro
West Philadelphia
West Plains
West Poblacion
West Porlock
West Quantoxhead
West Quincy
West Quoddy Head
West Rainton and Leamside
West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
West River
West Ruislip
West Runton
West Sac
West Shepton
west side
West Sleekburn
West Somerset
West Sopris Creek
West Southbourne
West Springfield
West Stoke
West Stow
West Suffolk
West Sussex
West Tanfield
West Texas Intermediate
West Thurrock
West Timor
West Timperley
West Torrens
Westtown
West Town
West Trenton
West Triangle
West Tytherley
West Union
West Vale
West Valley City
West Virginia
westward
westwardly
westwards
West Watford
West Wemyss
West Whittier
West Wickham
West Wimmera
West Winch
west wind
West Windsor
West Witton
Westwood
West Woodburn
West Woodhay
West Worthing
West Wycombe