oriental Hear it!

oriental definition

ori·en·tal (ôr′ē ent'l, ōr′-)

adjective

  1. Old Poet. eastern
  2. being corundum of gemstone quality, but resembling another gem oriental topaz
  3. of the Far East or its people or culture; Eastern
  4. designating or of the biogeographic realm that includes Southeast Asia south of the Himalayas, the Philippines, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and other associated islands

Etymology: ME orientale < OFr oriental < L orientalis

noun

a person born in the Far East or a member of a people of that region

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Oriental vs. Asian166 years ago

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