An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The point on the → celestial horizon 90° → clockwise from the → north point. The point where the Sun rises at the → equinoxes.

Etymology (EN): O.E. east, from P.Gmc. *aus-to-, *austra- “east, toward the sunrise” (cf. Du. oost, Ger. Ost, O.N. austr “from the east”), from PIE *aus- “dawn” (cf. Av. uš-, ušah- “dawn,” Skt. usas-, usah- “dawn,” Gk. aurion “morning,” Lith. auszra “dawn,” L. aurora “dawn,” auster “south”).

Etymology (PE): Xâvar “east,” originally “west,” from Mid.Pers. *xvar barân “where the Sun is led,” from xvar “sun” (Av. hū-, hvar- “sun”, cf. Skt. surya-, Gk. helios, L. sol, O.H.G. sunna, Ger. Sonne, E. sun; PIE base *sawel- “sun”) + barân, pr.p. of bar-, bordan “to carry, lead” (Mid.Pers. burdan,
O.Pers./Av. bar- “to bear, carry,” barəθre “to bear (infinitive),” Skt. bharati “he carries,” Gk. pherein, L. fero “to carry;” PIE base *bher- “to carry”)

• time and place suffix -ân.