Orientalist

Variant of Orientalism

Orientalism definition

Ori·en·tal·ism (ôr′ē en′t'l iz′əm)

noun

  1. any trait, quality, mannerism, etc. usually associated with people of the East
  2. the study of Eastern culture
  3. a viewpoint, as held by someone in the West, in which Asia or specif. the Arabic Middle East is seen variously as exotic, mysterious, irrational, etc.: term used to impute a patronizing attitude

Etymology: oriental + -ism

Related Forms:

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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