oriental
adjective
ori·en·tal
| \ ˌȯr-ē-ˈen-tᵊl
\
\
Definition of oriental
(Entry 1 of 2)
2
or Oriental
: of, relating to, or coming from Asia and especially eastern Asia
oriental food oriental art
—now usually considered offensive when used to describe a person
3
Oriental
: of, relating to, or constituting the biogeographic region that includes Asia south and southeast of the Himalayas and the Malay Archipelago west of Wallace's line
4a
: of superior grade, luster, or value
b
: being corundum or sapphire but simulating another gem in color
Oriental
nounDefinition of Oriental (Entry 2 of 2)
1
dated, now usually offensive
: asian
especially
: one who is a native of east Asia or is of east Asian descent
2
: oriental rug
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from oriental
Adjective
orientally
\ ˌȯr-ē-ˈen-tᵊl-ē
\
adverb
\
adverb
Examples of oriental in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
One of the worst is oriental bittersweet, which is a fiend in the woods and meadows. — Washington Post, "Vines are a romantic addition to the garden — until they go rogue," 9 July 2019 His displays include dahlias, cannas, calla lilies, oriental lilies, day lilies, hydrangeas, climbing hydrangeas, rhododendrons, pink, white, purple, roses, peonies, rudbeckias, coneflowers, clematis, lupines and many others. — courant.com, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 15 June 2019 Those would be chypre, oriental, woody and oud, according to Brigitte Wormser, VP of Creation & Marketing at Atkinsons 1799. — Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, "Can Fragrance Go Bad? Here's How to Tell If You Need to Toss Yours," 7 Aug. 2015 Prerogative is described as oriental and woody, with notes of pink pepper, red goji berries, and apricot nectar upon first spritz. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "Britney Spears Is Launching a A Unisex Fragrance Called Prerogative," 17 July 2018 The adjacent smoking room is a true oriental oasis with mutli coloured plaster Arab inspired carvings replicating palm trees with clusters of dates. — Houston Chronicle, "City pool opens for summer; extensive renovations complete," 26 May 2018 Above it, an oriental painting of white birds in a forested area adds a peaceful aura. — Louisville Courier Journal, The Courier-Journal, "Blast from the past: This Glenmary home is a collector's paradise," 28 June 2018 Visitors can go inside the small greenhouse, where a display in late spring featured oriental lilies. — Hattie Bernstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Cool down this summer in these magical gardens," 5 July 2018 This grilled bok choy salad embodies your favorite sweet and savory oriental flavors – without the grease of typical takeout dishes. — Danielle Page, USA TODAY, "Inventive summer salads for a fresh take on dinner," 2 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oriental.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for oriental
oriental
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of oriental
(Entry 1 of 2)
old-fashioned
: of, relating to, or from Asia and especially eastern Asia
Oriental
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of Oriental (Entry 2 of 2)
old-fashioned + offensive
: a person from eastern Asia
See the full definition for Oriental in the English Language Learners Dictionary
ori·en·tal
| \ ˌōr-ē-ˈen-tᵊl
\
\
Kids Definition of oriental
1
sometimes offensive
: asian entry 1
Hint:
In the past, this word was not considered offensive when applied to Asian people. In recent years, however, many people have come to find the word hurtful when applied to a person, and you may offend someone by using it in that way.
2
: relating to or from the region that includes the countries of eastern Asia (as China, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea)
Keep scrolling for more