west

Etymology

PIE word *wek(ʷ)speros 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

1. One of the four principal compass points, specifically 270°, conventionally directed to the left on maps; the direction of the setting sun at an equinox.
   Alternative form: (abbreviation) W
   We used to live in the west of the country.
   Portugal lies to the west of Spain.
2. The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof.
3. (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.
   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 (liturgical west) between the two towers, in the French manner. 1997, John Haskell, John Callanan, Sydney Architecture, UNSW Press
   The seating for honored persons (clergy) is at the liturgical west, opposite the entrance and lectern. 2000, Mark L. MacDonald, The Chant of Life: Liturgical Studies Four, Church Publishing, Inc., page 98
   In most worship spaces, this will put the thurifer and gospeller facing liturgical west, book bearer facing liturgical east (or the book on the reading desk), and the torch bearers turned inward, facing the book. 2007, Patrick Malloy, Celebrating the Eucharist: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Ministers, Church Publishing, Inc., page 155
   Throughout the book I refer directionally to the altar and chancel of St. Andrew's as situated at ecclesiastical east (to avoid overcomplicating matters), not geographical or magnetic southeast. Thus, the altar is located at the east end of the church, and the gallery, at the west. 2014, Paul Porwoll, Against All Odds: History of Saint Andrew's Parish Church, Charleston, 1706-2013, WestBow Press, page 365

adj

1. Situated or lying in or toward the west; westward.
2. (meteorology) Of wind: from the west.
3. Of or pertaining to the west; western.
4. From the West; occidental.
5. (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.
   Interior in 1925, (left) looking north to chancel and (right) looking south (to liturgical west end) It was on account of this connection that St James's became the clowns 'church', an annual clowns' service being held there ... 2008, Philip Temple, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville, Paul Mellon Ctr for Studies, page 356
   as in the mosaic of the ascension on San Frediano's liturgical west (geographically east) façade. 2017, Stephen Kite, Building Ruskin's Italy: Watching Architecture, Routledge, page 48
   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 (Fig. 24.2). 2019, Sarah Hosking, "Coventry Cathedral", in Prickett Stephen Prickett, Edinburgh Companion to the Bible and the Arts, Edinburgh University Press, page 371

adv

1. Towards the west; westwards.

verb

1. To move to the west; (of the sun) to set.