Etimology
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.
noun
west (plural wests)
The direction opposite to that of the earth's rotation, specifically 270°.
The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof. [circa 1300]
(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.
Examples
Alternative form: W
We used to live in the west of the country.
Portugal lies to the west of Spain.
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 between the two towers, in the French manner.
The seating for honored persons is at the liturgical west, opposite the entrance and lectern.
In most worship spaces, this will put the thurifer and gospeller facing liturgical west, book bearer facing liturgical east , and the torch bearers turned inward, facing the book.
Throughout the book I refer directionally to the altar and chancel of St. Andrew's as situated at ecclesiastical east , not geographical or magnetic southeast. Thus, the altar is located at the east end of the church, and the gallery, at the west.
Related words
coordinate terms
Barunga West
Broughton West
Cheshire West and Chester
Clayton West
East and West Buckland
east-west
Geelong West
go west
Greenock West
Helena-West Helena
hell west and crooked
Hounslow West
Inner West
Key West
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Knowle West
Mashonaland West
Mecklenburg-West Pomerania
Mexican west coast rattlesnake
Mid West
Newcastle West
north-northwest
northwest
Passage West
Quinte West
Robeston West
Slender West Lake
Somerset West and Taunton
south-southwest
southwest
South West Rocks
South West Slopes
Sun City West
Wessex
West
West Africa
West Alvington
West Amwell
West Ardsley
West Auckland
West Azerbaijan
West Baton Rouge Parish
West Bay
West Bedlington
West Bend
West Berkshire
West Bird's Head
West Bletchley
West Boylston
West Branch
West Bridgford
West Brompton
West Bromwich
West Buckland
West Burton
Westbury
West Byfleet
west by north
west by south
West Calder
West Carlton
West Carroll Parish
West Chester, Westchester
West Chevington
West Clandon
West Cliffe, Westcliffe
West Coast
Westcott
West Country
West Crewkerne
West Curthwaite
West Dean, Westdean
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 Falkland
West Feliciana Parish
West Felton
West Ferry
West Germany
West Gippsland
West Grey
West Grinstead
West Hagley
West Hallam
West Ham
West Hampstead
West Hartford
West Hartlepool
West Harton
West Haven
West Helmsdale
West Hill
West Hills
West Hoathly
West Holywell
West Horndon
West Horsley
West Huntspill
West Hyde
West Indies
westing
West Jesmond
West Kensington
West Kilbride
West Kirby
West Lake
Westlake
West Lancashire
Westland
West Lavington
West Liberty
West Lincoln
West Lindsey
West Lothian
West Malling
West Manchester
West Markham
West Milford
Westminster
West Monkseaton
West Monkton
Westmont
West Moor
West Moors
Westmoreland, Westmorland
Westmount
West Nicholson
West Nipissing
West Northamptonshire
West Norwood
Weston
West Oxfordshire
West Palm Beach
West Pennsboro
West Philadelphia
West Plains
West Quincy
West Riding, West Riding of Yorkshire
West Ruislip
West Runton
west side
West Sleekburn
West Somerset
West Southbourne
West Southbourne
West Springfield
West Suffolk
West Sussex
West Tanfield
West Thurrock
West Torrens
West Town
West Trenton
West Union
West Vale
West Valley City
West Virginia
westward
westwardly
westwards
West Watford
West Wemyss
West Whittier
West Wickham
West Winch
Westwood
West Woodhay
West Worthing
West Wycombe
adjective
west
Situated or lying in or toward the west; westward.
(meteorology) Of wind: from the west.
Of or pertaining to the west; western.
From the West; occidental.
(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.
Examples
Interior in 1925, looking north to chancel and looking south It was on account of this connection that St James's became the clowns 'church', an annual clowns' service being held there ...
as in the mosaic of the ascension on San Frediano's liturgical west façade.
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 .
adverb
west (not comparable)
Towards the west; westwards.
verb
west (third-person singular simple present wests, present participle westing, simple past and past participle wested)
To move to the west; (of the sun) to set. [from 15th c.]
Examples
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.