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Oriental: meaning, definitions and examples

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oriental

[ ɔːˈriːnt(ə)l ]

Adjective / Noun

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

culture

Relating to the countries of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, their peoples, languages, or cultures.

Synonyms

Asian, Far Eastern, eastern

Examples of usage

The museum has a collection of oriental art.
She has a deep interest in oriental philosophy.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

rug

A hand-knotted rug of a type originally made in the Near East.

Synonyms

carpet, rug

Examples of usage

The room was decorated with a beautiful oriental rug.
He bought an oriental rug for his living room.

Translations

Translations of the word "oriental" in other languages:

🇵🇹 oriental

🇮🇳 ओरिएंटल

🇩🇪 orientalisch

🇮🇩 oriental

🇺🇦 східний

🇵🇱 orientalny

🇯🇵 東洋の (とうようの, tōyō no)

🇫🇷 oriental

🇪🇸 oriental

🇹🇷 doğulu

🇰🇷 동양의 (dong-yang-ui)

🇸🇦 شرقي (sharqī)

🇨🇿 orientální

🇸🇰 orientálny

🇨🇳 东方的 (dōngfāng de)

🇸🇮 orientalski

🇮🇸 austurlenskur

🇰🇿 шығыстық

🇬🇪 აღმოსავლური (aghmosavluri)

🇦🇿 şərq

🇲🇽 oriental

Word origin

The term 'oriental' originated in the 14th century and comes from the Latin word 'orientalis', meaning 'eastern'. It was used to describe regions to the east of Europe, particularly the Far East. Over time, the term evolved to refer to cultures, languages, and goods from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. However, in modern usage, the term 'oriental' has become controversial as it can be seen as outdated and Eurocentric. Some prefer to use more specific terms like 'Asian' or 'Eastern' to avoid potential offense.