West
61026
213516876
2008-05-19T18:17:20Z
J.delanoy
2372780
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/67.193.52.162|67.193.52.162]] ([[User talk:67.193.52.162|talk]]) to last version by Ejosse1
[[Image:Compass Rose English West.svg|thumb|250px|right|A [[compass rose]] with west highlighted]]
:''This article refers to the cardinal direction; for other uses see [[West (disambiguation)]].
'''West''' is most commonly a [[noun]], [[adjective]], or [[adverb]] indicating [[Direction (geometry, geography)|direction]] or [[geography]].
West is one of the four [[cardinal directions]] or [[compass]] points. It is the opposite of [[east]] and is [[perpendicular]] to [[north]] and [[south]].
By [[Norm (sociology)|convention]], the left side of a [[map]] is west.
To go west using a compass for [[navigation]], set a [[Bearing (navigation)|bearing]] or [[azimuth]] of 270°.
West is the direction opposite that of the [[Earth]]'s rotation on its axis, and is therefore the general direction towards which the [[Sun]] sets.
West is also a last name.
Moving continuously west is following a [[circle of latitude]], which, except in the case of the [[equator]], is not a [[great circle]].
The English word "west" is cognate to the [[Old High German]] word ''westar'', which may derive from an [[Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European]] root from which the [[Latin]] word ''vesper'', meaning "evening", derives.
"The West" often denotes the ''[[Western world]]''. Although a somewhat subjective term (see [[North-South divide]]), it always includes the noncommunist countries of Europe and America.<ref>[http://m-w.com/dictionary/west ''west'' at Merriam-Webster, Dictionary]</ref>
==Symbolic meanings==
In Chinese [[Buddhism]], the West represents movement toward the [[Buddha (general)|Buddha]] or enlightenment (see [[Journey to the West]]). The ancient [[Aztec]]s believed that the West was the realm of the great goddess of [[water]], mist, and [[maize]]. In [[Ancient Egypt]], the West was considered to be the portal to the [[netherworld]], and is the cardinal direction regarded in connection with [[death]], though not always with a negative connotation. Ancient Egyptians also believed that the [[Goddess]] [[Amunet]] was a personification of the West.<ref>[[Joseph Campbell|Campbell, Joseph]]. The Mythic Image. Princeton University Press, 1981.</ref> The Celts believed that beyond the western sea off the edges of all maps lay the Otherworld, or Afterlife.
In [[American literature]] (eg. ''[[The Great Gatsby]]''), moving west symbolizes gaining freedom, perhaps as an association with the settling of the Old West (see also [[Manifest Destiny]]).
==References==
{{wiktionary}}
<references />
{{CandODirections}}
[[Category:Orientation]]
[[ar:غرب]]
[[az:Qərb]]
[[bs:Zapad]]
[[br:Kornôg]]
[[bg:Запад]]
[[ca:Oest]]
[[cs:Západ]]
[[co:Punenti]]
[[de:Westen]]
[[et:Lääs]]
[[es:Oeste]]
[[eo:Okcidento]]
[[eu:Mendebalde (geografikoa)]]
[[fa:باختر]]
[[fr:Ouest]]
[[gl:Oeste]]
[[ko:서쪽]]
[[hr:Zapad]]
[[is:Vestur]]
[[it:Ovest]]
[[he:מערב]]
[[ku:Rojava]]
[[lv:Rietumi]]
[[lt:Vakarai (pasaulio kryptis)]]
[[ln:Límbe]]
[[lmo:Ovest]]
[[mr:पश्चिम दिशा]]
[[nl:West]]
[[ne:पश्चिम]]
[[ja:西]]
[[no:Vest]]
[[nn:Vest]]
[[nrm:Vouêt]]
[[oc:Oèst]]
[[pl:Zachód (kierunek)]]
[[pt:Oeste]]
[[ro:Vest]]
[[qu:Kunti]]
[[ru:Запад]]
[[simple:West]]
[[sk:Západ (svetová strana)]]
[[cu:Западъ]]
[[sl:Zahod]]
[[sr:Запад]]
[[sh:Zapad]]
[[fi:Länsi]]
[[sv:Väster]]
[[ta:மேற்கு]]
[[te:పడమర]]
[[th:ทิศตะวันตก]]
[[vi:Hướng Tây]]
[[tr:Batı (yön)]]
[[uk:Захід]]
[[vec:Ovest]]
[[wa:Coûtchant (costé del Daegne)]]
[[yi:מערב]]
[[zh-yue:西]]
[[zh:西]]
[[bat-smg:Vakarā]]