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Orientalism

American  
[awr-ee-en-tl-iz-uhm, ohr-] / ˌɔr iˈɛn tlˌɪz əm, ˌoʊr- /

noun

(often lowercase)
  1. a peculiarity or idiosyncrasy of the peoples of Asia, especially the East.

  2. the character or characteristics of the peoples of Asia, especially the East.

  3. the knowledge and study of Asian, especially Eastern languages, literature, etc.


Orientalism British  
/ ˌɔːrɪˈɛntəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. knowledge of or devotion to the Orient

  2. an Oriental quality, style, or trait

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of Orientalism

First recorded in 1760–70; oriental + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He’s this manufactured idea of Asian-ness, and part of that conversation about Orientalism is how things like tea and all these things that we have that we associate with certain cultures.

From The Verge Mar. 9, 2022

“Her work goes beyond nationalistic boundaries,” says Sara Raza, founder of a New York-based curatorial studio called Punk Orientalism.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 22, 2021

Said defined Orientalism as a romanticized view of Arabic culture by French, British and, later, American writers to create a narrative of an exotic land.

From New York Times Sep. 25, 2019

The real Orientalism is how long it took for Western critics to register that “The Tale of Genji” disrupts every cliché about the “rise of the novel” that they were taught in school.

From The New Yorker Apr. 19, 2019

Herein we touch upon the most attractive side of the man; for it is this Orientalism, I think, in his nature that explains his regard for, and his sympathy with, the birds and animals.

From The Vagabond in Literature by Rickett, Arthur

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