oosten

Oosten is a Dutch term that usually denotes the East or the eastern part of something. In Dutch geography and toponymy, Oosten is used both as a common noun meaning "the East" and as the name of eastern districts or regions within municipalities. The capitalization helps distinguish a geographic proper name from the generic direction.

The word originates in Old Dutch oosten, from the same Germanic root that yields the English "east" and the German "Osten." It shares semantic ties with related terms such as Oost (east, as a cardinal direction) and is used in expressions like "in het Oosten" to reference the eastern part of a country, region, or city.

In the Netherlands and neighboring regions, Oosten occurs primarily as part of composite place names or as a designation for eastern neighborhoods or suburbs within larger towns. Such use supports administrative and postal distinctions, urban planning, and historical geography, without implying a separate independent municipality. When used as a standalone proper name, it typically refers to a specific eastern district or locality within a city or region, though such instances are less common and vary by jurisdiction.

Notable references to Oosten appear in linguistic, geographic, and cultural contexts as an example of a directional toponym in Dutch. In everyday usage, speakers may instead refer to the general concept of the east rather than a specific place.

See also: Oost, East (direction), Dutch toponymy.