western: Meaning and Definition of

west•ern

Pronunciation: (wes'turn), [key]
— adj.
  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 cap.) of, pertaining to, living in, or characteristic of the West, esp. the western U.S.: a Western ranch.
  5. (usually cap.) Occidental: to adopt Western dress.
  6. (usually cap.) of or pertaining to the non-Communist countries of Europe and the Americas: Western trade agreements.
  7. (cap.) of or pertaining to the Western Church.
—n.
  1. (often cap.) a story, movie, or radio or television play about the U.S. West of the 19th century.
  2. See
  3. a person or thing from a western region or country.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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