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east

/iːst/
nounadjectiveadverb

EAST meaning: EAST names the direction opposite west and scores 4 points in Scrabble, with nine anagrams made from the same letters.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 3 meanings

  1. The direction of the earth's rotation, specifically 90°.

    “Portsmouth is to the east of Southampton.”

  2. The eastern region or area; the inhabitants thereof.

  3. In a church: the direction of the altar and chancel; the direction faced by the priest when celebrating ad orientem.

Adjective 4 meanings

  1. Situated or lying in or towards the east; eastward.

  2. Blowing (as wind) from the east.

  3. Of or pertaining to the east; eastern.

  4. From the East; oriental.

Adverb 1 meaning

  1. Towards the east; eastwards.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English est, from Old English ēast, from Proto-West Germanic *austr, from Proto-Germanic *austrą, from Proto-Germanic *austraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros (“east”).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
eastwardeasterlyorientalofeastwards
Opposite
westwardwesterlywestwestwards

EAST is a familiar four-letter word with a compact tile score: E, A, S, and T are each worth 1 point. It can name a compass direction, an eastern region, or something situated toward that direction. That range makes it ordinary in prose but also a neat rack to rearrange: SEAT, EATS, TEAS, and SATE use precisely the same tiles.

EAST at a glance

  • EAST scores 4 points in Scrabble because all four tiles are worth 1.
  • It has 9 anagrams, including SEAT, EATS, TEAS, and SATE.
  • LAST, PAST, FAST, and CAST each differ from EAST by one letter.
  • The word rhymes with LAST and PAST; its rhyme list includes COAST and BREAKFAST.
  • Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE include EAST.

What does EAST mean?

EAST most often names the compass direction associated with sunrise and the eastern side of a place. The definition also covers a region called the East and people who live there, so context decides whether the word points on a map or names a group.

As an adjective, EAST means lying toward that direction: an east-facing window catches morning light. The definition also includes the church sense, where east describes the direction of the altar or the direction faced by a priest celebrating ad orientem. That specialized use is less likely in everyday clues.

How does EAST score and what can you make from it?

At the rack, EAST is a balanced low-value play rather than a premium-tile scorer: each of its four letters contributes 1 point, for a base total of 4 before board bonuses. Do not count the word as a 4-point play on every board; a letter or word premium changes the result.

Rearranging the tiles gives familiar options such as SEAT, EATS, TEAS, and SATE. The remaining anagrams include SETA, TASE, ATES, ETAS, and TAES; several are much less familiar, so check your game's word list before relying on one in a match.

Changing one tile produces neighbors including LAST, PAST, FAST, CAST, VAST, and MAST. Those are especially practical when a board already has three letters in place: compare the shared -AST ending, then test the opening letter against your rack.

Rhymes with east

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest

Questions people ask

Is EAST a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, EAST is accepted in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE. Its Scrabble value is 4 because E, A, S, and T each score 1 point. Board premiums can raise the turn's total, but the face-value sum stays 4.
What words can you make from EAST?
EAST has 9 anagrams, including SEAT, EATS, TEAS, and SATE. Other rearrangements are SETA, TASE, ATES, ETAS, and TAES. Some are less familiar than the everyday options, so check the word list used in your game.
How do you use east in a sentence?
Use east to name a direction, region, or position: “The train travels east” points toward the direction, while “the east of the country” names a region. As an adjective, “an east-facing window” describes which way the window faces.

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