The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Sunrise \Sun"rise`\, Sunrising \Sun"ris`ing\, n.
   1. The first appearance of the sun above the horizon in the
      morning; more generally, the time of such appearance,
      whether in fair or cloudy weather; as, to begin work at
      sunrise. "The tide of sunrise swells." --Keble.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Hence, the region where the sun rises; the east.
      [1913 Webster]

            Which were beyond Jordan toward the sunrising.
                                                  --Deut. iv. 47
                                                  (Rev. Ver.)
      [1913 Webster]

            Full hot and fast the Saxon rides, with rein of
            travel slack,
            And, bending o'ev his saddle, leaves the sunrise at
            his back.                             --Whittier.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

sunrise
    adj 1: of an industry or technology; new and developing; "high-
           technology sunrise industries"
    n 1: the first light of day; "we got up before dawn"; "they
         talked until morning" [syn: dawn, dawning, morning,
         aurora, first light, daybreak, break of day, break
         of the day, dayspring, sunrise, sunup, cockcrow]
         [ant: sundown, sunset]
    2: atmospheric phenomena accompanying the daily appearance of
       the sun
    3: the daily event of the sun rising above the horizon