Meaning

adjective lying toward or situated in the east

adjective of or characteristic of eastern regions of the United States

adjective lying in or toward the east

originFrom Middle English esturne, esterne, from Old English ēasterne (“eastern”), from Proto-Germanic *austrōnijaz (“eastern”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews-ro- (“eastern”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- (“dawn, east”). Cognate with Old Saxon and Old High German ōstrōni (“eastern”), Old Norse austrœnn (“eastern”). Morphologically east + -ern.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0