Orient Definition
ôrē-ənt, -ĕnt
oriented, orients
noun
orients
The east.
Webster's New World
A pearl of high quality.
Webster's New World
The quality that determines a pearl's value; luster.
Webster's New World
The place on the horizon where the sun rises; the east.
American Heritage
Alternative capitalization of Orient [from 14th c.]
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
- east
- eastern-hemisphere
- israel
- lebanon
- syria
- turkey
- egypt
- levant
- middle-east
- near-east
- the cradle of mankind
- fertile-crescent
- Golden Crescent
- arabia
- Muslim world
Antonyms:
adjective
Having exceptional luster.
Orient gemstones.
American Heritage
Brilliant; shining; precious: said originally of pearls, now used more generally.
Webster's New World
Eastern; oriental.
Webster's New World
Rising, as the sun.
Webster's New World
Bright; lustrous; superior; pure; perfect; pellucid; used of gems and also figuratively, because the most perfect jewels are found in the East.
Wiktionary
verb
oriented, orients
To arrange with reference to the east; esp., to build (a church) with the chief altar at the eastern end.
Webster's New World
To set (a map or chart) in agreement with the points of the compass.
Webster's New World
To adjust with relation to facts or principles; correct.
Webster's New World
To determine the bearings of (oneself); cause (one) to know one's position in relation to the surroundings.
Oriented himself by the neon sign on top of the building.
American Heritage
To ascertain for (someone), or make (someone) aware of, his or her location or situation.
The lost hikers attempted to orient themselves.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
pronoun
Countries of Asia, especially East Asia.
Wiktionary
idiom
the Orient
- the East, including the Near East and the Far East
- the Far East
Webster's New World
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Orient
- the Orient
Origin of Orient
-
Middle English from Old French from Latin oriēns orient- rising sun, east from present participle of orīrī to arise, be born er-1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From Middle English orient, from Old French orient, from Latin oriens (“rising; as a noun, the quarter where the sun rises, the east, day"), present participle of oriri (“to rise").
From Wiktionary
-
Latin oriÄ“ns (“east").
From Wiktionary
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