How do you pronounce oriental?

The recorded pronunciation is /ɔːɹiˈɛntəl/.

Where does oriental come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

oriental

/ɔːɹiˈɛntəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.73 in modern English

Syllables: ori-en-tal
IPA: /ɔːɹiˈɛntəl/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Alternative letter-case form of Oriental.

noun

Alternative letter-case form of Oriental.

adj

Of a pearl or other precious stone: having a superior lustre.

adj

Pertaining to the eastern part of the sky; happening before sunrise.

adj

Happening in the eastern part of a given place or location.

Obsolete

adj

Pertaining to the regions east of the Mediterranean, beyond the Roman Empire or the early Christian world; of the Near East, the Middle East or the Far East, now especially relating to East Asia.

Dated; Offensive

adj

Designating various types of aromatic tobacco grown in Turkey and the Balkans.

noun

A precious stone, especially an orient pearl.

Example Sentences

"He looked at her face. He ran his index finger down the bridge of her nose. “Exotic. The last one was an Oriental, too.” “Orientals are rugs and furniture,” Anna said. “Not people.”"
"1848, National anthem of Uruguay Orientals, the Fatherland or the grave, Liberty or with glory we die!"

Etymology

See Oriental.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₃er-, oriental, orientālis

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ɔːɹiˈɛntəl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more oriental (comparative) most oriental (superlative) orientals (plural)

Derived Forms

orientalist orientality orientalize orientally AADAOPA nonoriental Orientalism Orientalise semioriental unoriental Victoriental

Phrases

oriental carpet oriental dance oriental roach oriental rug techno-oriental chicken oriental oriental bittersweet Oriental Asian

Frequently Paired Words

boreal austral chicken oriental orientate orientally orientational Asia Asiatic

Synonyms

eastern

Antonyms

occidental

Rhymes With

mental environmental fundamental experimental gentle dental rental continental instrumental non-governmental accidental parental