west

Etymology

From Middle English west, from Old English west, from Proto-West Germanic *westr, from Proto-Germanic *westrą.

Cognate with Scots wast, Saterland Frisian Wääste, West Frisian west, Dutch west, German West, Danish vest. Cognate also with Old French west, French ouest, Spanish oeste, Portuguese oeste, Catalan oest, Galician oeste, Italian ovest (all ultimately borrowings of the English word). Compare also Latin vesper (“evening”), with which it is possibly cognate via Proto-Indo-European.

Pronunciation

• enPR: wĕst, IPA^(key): /wɛst/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

west (plural wests)

2. The direction opposite to that of the earth's rotation, specifically 270°.

   Alternative form: (abbreviation) W

   We used to live in the west of the country.

   Portugal lies to the west of Spain.

3. The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof. [circa 1300]
4. (ecclesiastical) 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.
   • 1997, John Haskell, John Callanan, Sydney Architecture, UNSW Press, →ISBN:

     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.

   • 2000, Mark L. MacDonald, The Chant of Life: Liturgical Studies Four, Church Publishing, Inc., →ISBN, page 98:

     The seating for honored persons (clergy) is at the liturgical west, opposite the entrance and lectern.

   • 2007, Patrick Malloy, Celebrating the Eucharist: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Ministers, Church Publishing, Inc., →ISBN, page 155:

     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.

   • 2014, Paul Porwoll, Against All Odds: History of Saint Andrew's Parish Church, Charleston, 1706-2013, WestBow Press, →ISBN, page 365:

     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.

Coordinate terms

(compass points)

northwest	north	northeast
west		east
southwest	south	southeast

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, the liturgical west, that part of a church which is opposite to, and farthest from, the part containing the chancel.
   • 2008, Philip Temple, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville, Paul Mellon Ctr for Studies, →ISBN, page 356:

     Interior in 1925, (left) looking north to chancel and (right) looking south (to liturgical west end) It was on account of this connection that St James's became the clowns 'church', an annual clowns' service being held there ...

   • 2017, Stephen Kite, Building Ruskin's Italy: Watching Architecture, Routledge, →ISBN, page 48:

     as in the mosaic of the ascension on San Frediano's liturgical west (geographically east) façade.

   • 2019, Sarah Hosking, "Coventry Cathedral", in Prickett Stephen Prickett, Edinburgh Companion to the Bible and the Arts, Edinburgh University Press, →ISBN, page 371:

     Spence had decided on a huge image of Christ on the [liturgical] east end [which is the geographic north], filling the entire wall and to be visible through the [liturgical] West Window (Fig. 24.2).

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, “Book V, Prologue”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     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

• ESWT, Stew, Tews, ewts, stew, tews, wets

Etymology

From English west.

Noun

west m

1. west

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋɛst/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: west
• Rhymes: -ɛst

Adverb

west

1. (only in compounds) west
2. westwards

Coordinate terms

• (compass points)

noordwest	noord	noordoost
west		oost
zuidwest	zuid	zuidoost