easterly
easterly Lexical Profile
easterly Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Directed, situated, or moving toward the east.
"The expedition continued on an easterly course across the open plains."
Coming or blowing from the east (especially of a wind or air current).
"A brisk easterly breeze kept the coastal temperatures cool throughout the afternoon."
• noun
A wind or storm that blows from the east.
"Sailors in the tropics rely on the steady trade easterlies to cross the ocean."
• adverb
Toward the east; in an eastward direction, or from the east.
"The river flows easterly for fifty miles before emptying into the bay."
Word Nuance & Usage
When describing wind, an 'easterly' wind blows *from* the east, whereas when describing travel or movement, an 'easterly' course heads *toward* the east.
• Rhymes for easterly
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Recorded since the 16th century, formed from 'east' (from Old English 'ēast') combined with the directional and adjectival suffix '-erly', modeled after 'northerly' and 'westerly'.