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definitions

oriental

[ awr-ee-en-tl, ohr‐ ]
/ ˌɔr iˈɛn tl, ˌoʊr‐ /
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adjective

(usually initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of the Orient, or East; Eastern.
of the orient, or the eastern region of the world or heavens: oriental countries;stars in the oriental sky.
(initial capital letter) Zoogeography. belonging to a geographical division comprising southern Asia and the Malay Archipelago as far as and including the Philippines, Borneo, and Java.
Jewelry.
  1. (usually initial capital letter) designating various gems that are varieties of corundum: Oriental aquamarine; Oriental ruby.
  2. fine or precious; orient: oriental agate; oriental garnet.
  3. designating certain natural saltwater pearls found especially in Asia.

noun

(usually initial capital letter) Older Use: Usually Disparaging and Offensive. a native or inhabitant of the Orient, or East.

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RELATED WORDS

byzantine, Korean, Asian, Chinese, Japanese

Nearby words

  1. orichalcum,
  2. oriel,
  3. oriel window,
  4. orient,
  5. orient express,
  6. oriental alabaster,
  7. oriental almandine,
  8. oriental beetle,
  9. oriental carpet,
  10. oriental cat's-eye

Origin of oriental

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin orientālis, equivalent to orient- “east, the east” (see orient) + -ālis -al1
Related forms
Can be confusedAsian Asiatic Oriental (see usage note at Asian)

Usage note

See Asian.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for oriental

  • Red porphyry--verde antique--jasper--oriental agate--alabaster--mother-of-pearl--chalcedony--red coral--lapis lazuli!

    The Innocents Abroad|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

  • But you has 'em shipped by freight, an' aims to spend a dollar an' thirty cents each on 'em, by markin' 'em 'Oriental Goods.'

    Captain Scraggs|Peter B. Kyne

  • His features and air are not so much Roman as oriental--thine are purely Roman.

    Zenobia|William Ware

  • The 'Oriental' has twenty-two spirited engravings of 'Scenes in India,' many of which are very superior.

    The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 6, December 1837|Various
British Dictionary definitions for oriental

oriental

/ (ˌɔːrɪˈɛntəl) /

adjective

another word for eastern Compare occidental

Oriental

/ (ˌɔːrɪˈɛntəl) /

adjective

(sometimes not capital) of or relating to the Orient
of or denoting a zoogeographical region consisting of southeastern Asia from India to Borneo, Java, and the Philippines

noun

a breed of slender muscular cat with large ears, long legs, and a long tail
(sometimes not capital) an inhabitant, esp a native, of the Orient
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for oriental
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper