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
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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 2019These 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.
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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)
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