oriental
oriental Lexical Profile
oriental Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Of, from, or characteristic of Asia, especially East Asia (now used primarily of decorative arts, cultural artifacts, cuisine, or biological species).
"The museum recently acquired a collection of antique oriental carpets and porcelain."
Situated in or belonging to the east; eastern (literary or poetic).
"The morning sun cast a warm glow across the oriental horizon."
Lustrous, precious, and of superior quality (historical, used especially of pearls and gemstones).
"The royal crown was set with a row of fine oriental pearls."
• noun
A native or inhabitant of Asia, especially East Asia (dated and often offensive).
"Older twentieth-century texts frequently used the term Oriental where modern writers use Asian."
A sleek, slender domestic cat breed developed from the Siamese, characterized by a wedge-shaped head, large ears, and a short or long coat in a wide variety of solid colors and patterns.
"She entered her chocolate-coated Oriental in the national championship cat show."
Word Nuance & Usage
In contemporary English, using 'Oriental' to describe people of Asian descent is widely considered outdated and offensive; 'Asian' or a specific nationality should be used instead. However, the term remains standard and neutral when referring to inanimate objects, historical traditions, or biological species (such as Oriental rugs, Oriental poppies, or the Oriental shorthair cat).
• Rhymes for oriental
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 14th century via Old French from Latin orientalis ('of the east'), derived from oriens, the present participle of oriri ('to rise'), referring to the rising sun.