traveling or heading toward the west direction.
Compound of 'west' (from Old English 'west,' originally meaning 'the direction of sunset') and 'bound' (meaning heading toward). A straightforward directional compound used since the 1800s.
During the California Gold Rush, 'westbound' routes became legendary—the Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail—and people still reference going 'west' metaphorically to mean starting over or seeking adventure.
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