Middle English word est comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews-, Proto-Indo-European *aus-, and later Proto-Germanic *austraz (East, eastern.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *h₂ews- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | dawn |
| *aus- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to shine, eastern |
| *h₂éwsros | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *austraz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | East, eastern. |
| *austrą | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | East East, eastward. |
| ēast | Old English (ang) | |
| est | Middle English (enm) |