orient

(ôr'ē-ənt, -ĕnt', ōr'-)
n.

1. Orient The countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia.
2. 1. The luster characteristic of a pearl of high quality.
   2. A pearl having exceptional luster.
3. Archaic. The place on the horizon where the sun rises; the east.

adj.

1. Having exceptional luster: orient gemstones.
2. Archaic. Eastern; oriental.
3. Archaic. Rising in the sky; ascending.

v., -ent·ed, -ent·ing, -ents. (ôr'ē-ĕnt', ōr'-)

v.tr.

1. To locate or place in a particular relation to the points of the compass: orient the swimming pool north and south.
2. 1. To locate or position so as to face the east.
   2. To build (a church) with the nave laid out in an east-west direction and the main altar usually at the eastern end.
3. To align or position with respect to a point or system of reference: oriented the telescope toward the moon; oriented her interests toward health care.
4. To determine the bearings of.
5. To make familiar with or adjusted to facts, principles, or a situation.
6. To focus (the content of a story or film, for example) toward the concerns and interests of a specific group.

v.intr.

1. To turn toward the east.
2. To become adjusted or aligned.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oriēns, orient-, rising sun, east, from present participle of orīrī, to arise, be born.]

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Both words now sound dated and have an exotic 18th century or 19th century aura more associated with the world of empire and romantic adventure than with factual description. In ordinary writing it is often better to use more neutral terms such as eastern or (East) Asian (or terms that specify particular countries). The noun orient is traditionally spelt Orient with a capital initial letter when referring geographically or politically to countries, whereas practice varies between orient and Orient when it is used in general (often literary) reference to the east. That is the rule normally stated, but it is often difficult to be sure of the distinction:

She was a blonde. They have a great time in the Orient, scarcity value—G. Black, 1972

Flaubert left Europe a Romantic, and returned from the Orient a Realist—Julian Barnes, 1985

The need to give punters the opportunity to additionally sample delights from the orient hardly seems necessary—Guardian, 1989

The orient has three species of tarsiers—C. Willock, 1991.

The adjective oriental, meaning 'eastern' with reference to a part of the world, is normally spelt with a small o.

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v

Definition: familiarize
Antonyms: disorient

For a list of words related to oriented, see:

• Wise, Mature, or Experienced

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  See crossword solutions for the clue Orient.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - østen, orienten
adj. - strålende, østlig, østerlandsk
v. tr. - orientere
v. intr. - orientere sig

Nederlands (Dutch)
Oriënt, kleur, glans, zich oriënteren, naar het oosten richten, oriëntaal, glanzend, rijzend, oosters

Français (French)
n. - orient, l'Orient
adj. - oriental
v. tr. - (fig) orienter (vers, en faveur de), (lit) orienter (une carte, un bâtiment)
v. intr. - (fig) s'adapter à, (lit) s'orienter

Deutsch (German)
n. - Orient, Osten
v. - ausrichten, orientieren, einweisen, anleiten
adj. - östlich

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (γεωγρ.) 'Απω Ανατολή, Ανατολική Ασία
v. - προσανατολίζω/-ομαι

Italiano (Italian)
oriente, orientare, l'Oriente

Português (Portuguese)
n. - oriente (m), Levante (m)
v. - orientar

Русский (Russian)
восток, ориентировать

Español (Spanish)
n. - oriente, este, levante, el Oriente
adj. - naciente, oriental, brillante, lustroso, transparente
v. tr. - orientar, ubicar
v. intr. - orientar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - Orienten, Östern, Österlandet, orientalisk pärla, (pärlas)glans
v. - orientera, ställa in, vända sig mot öster

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
东方, 东方诸国, 东方的, 灿烂的, 上升的, 使朝东, 确定方向, 使适应, 适应形势, 向东

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 東方, 東方諸國
adj. - 東方的, 燦爛的, 上升的
v. tr. - 使朝東, 確定方向, 使適應
v. intr. - 適應形勢, 向東

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 동양, 좋은 진주
adj. - 동양의, 발생하기 시작하는, 보석이 질이 좋은
v. tr. - 동쪽으로 향하게 하다, 실제의 방위에 맞추다
v. intr. - 동쪽으로 면하다, 환경에 순응하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 上質真珠
adj. - 東方の, 光り輝く
v. - 位置を確定する, 向ける, 東向きにする, 順応させる, 東に向く

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الشرق (فعل) يوجه للشرق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מזרח, המזרח הרחוק, מזרח אסיה, הארצות שממזרח לים התיכון‬
adj. - ‮מזרחי, נוצצת, יקרה (פנינה), עולה (שחר), זורחת (שמש)‬
v. tr. - ‮מצא את המיקום בעזרת מצפן, בירר לעצמו את מצבו, כיוון אל, בנה (בניין) שפניו מזרחה, קבר עם הרגליים כלפי מזרח‬
v. intr. - ‮פנה מזרחה או לכיוון מסוים‬

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