western

[wes-tern] /ˈwɛs tərn/
adjective
1.
lying toward or situated in the west:
our company's western office.
2.
directed or proceeding toward the west:
a western migration.
3.
coming or originating from the west, as a wind.
4.
(often initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, living in, or characteristic of the West, especially the western U.S.:
a Western ranch.
5.
(usually initial capital letter) Occidental:
to adopt Western dress.
6.
(usually initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the non-Communist countries of Europe and the Americas:
Western trade agreements.
7.
(initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the Western Church.
noun
8.
(often initial capital letter) a story, movie, or radio or television play about the U.S. West of the 19th century.
9.
western sandwich.
10.
a person or thing from a western region or country.
Origin
before 1050; 1905-10 for def 8; Middle English, Old English westerne, equivalent to west west + -erne -ern
Related forms
anti-Western, adjective
nonwestern, adjective, noun
pro-Western, adjective
unwestern, adjective
Examples from the web for western
  • western larch often follows or survives fires, later being replaced by other conifers.
  • western lowland gorillas are endangered, but they remain far more common than their relatives, the mountain gorillas.
  • For two decades, western wildfires have grown hotter, burned longer-and become ever more unpredictable.
  • But in the past decade the risks have escalated as criminal activity has invaded the reserve's western region.
  • The outrage led to a new election and the formation of a shaky pro-western coalition government.
  • There was mention of nine western resorts, all deserving, but a nod to your northern neighbors may have been appropriate.
  • Its western confines are dull-a vast area of pine forests and occasional swamps.
  • So then he decided to become a country-and-western singing star.
  • Many western markets would welcome news of an alternative supply.
  • Rich western countries scrambled to buy in enough of the stuff to treat their own populations.
British Dictionary definitions for western

western

/ˈwɛstən/
adjective
1.
situated in or towards or facing the west
2.
going or directed to or towards the west
3.
(of a wind, etc) coming or originating from the west
4.
native to, inhabiting, or growing in the west
5.
(music) See country and western

Western

/ˈwɛstən/
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or characteristic of the West as opposed to the Orient
2.
(formerly) of, relating to, or characteristic of the Americas and the parts of Europe not under Communist rule
3.
of, relating to, or characteristic of the western states of the US
noun
4.
a film, book, etc, concerned with life in the western states of the US, esp during the era of exploration and early development
Word Origin and History for western
adj.

"toward or of the west," Old English westerne (see west) + -erne, suffix denoting direction. The noun meaning "book or movie about the Old West" is first attested 1909.

Slang definitions & phrases for western

Western

noun

A book, movie, etc, about the Old West (1909+)

Related Terms

spaghetti western