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Orient

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orient¹

  • /ˈɔː.ɹɪ.ənt/ UK
  • /ˈɒɹ.ɪ.ənt/ UK
  • /ˈɔ.ɹi.ənt/ Canada, US
  • /ˈoɹ.i.ənt/ Canada, US

Where it comes from

The noun is derived from Middle English orient, oriente, oryent, oryente, oryentte (“the east direction; eastern horizon or sky; eastern regions of the world, Asia, Orient; eastern edge of the world”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman orient, oriente, and Old French orient (“east direction; Asia, Orient”) (modern French orient), or directly from its etymon Latin oriēns (“the east; daybreak, dawn; sunrise; (participle) rising; appearing; originating”), present active participle of orior (“to get up, rise; to appear, become visible; to be born, come to exist, originate”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to move, stir; to rise, spring”).

The adjective is derived from Middle English orient (“eastern; from Asia or the Orient; brilliant, shining (characteristic of jewels from the Orient)”), from Middle English orient (noun); see above.

proper noun

  1. Usually preceded by the: alternative letter-case form of Orient (“a region or a part of the world to the east of a certain place; countries of Asia, the East (especially East Asia)”) I, from the orient to the drooping weſt, / Making the wind my poſthorſe, ſtill unfold / The acts commenced on this ball of earth: […]

noun orients

  1. The part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the morning; the east. Loe in the Orient when the gracious light, Lifts vp his burning head, each vnder eye Doth homage to his new appearing ſight, [...]
  2. obsolete A pearl originating from the Indian region, reputed to be of great brilliance; (by extension) any pearl of particular beauty and value. The chambers of the East are opened in every land, and the sun comes forth to sow the earth with orient pearl.
  3. broadly The brilliance or colour of a high-quality pearl.

adjective

  1. also, dated, figuratively, not comparable, poetic Rising, like the morning sun. Moon, that now meetſt the orient sun, now fli'ſt / With the fixt Starrs, fixt in thir Orb that flies, [...]
  2. dated, not comparable, poetic Of the colour of the sky at daybreak; bright in colour, from red to yellow. Then, I do so like the one or two principal walks, neatly edged with box, cut with most precise regularity, keeping guard over favourite plants:—columbines, bending on their slender stems; rose-bushes, covered with buds enough to furnish roses for months; pinks, with their dark eyes; and the orient
  3. not comparable Of, facing, or located in the east; eastern, oriental. To ſhewe that though this figure of the worlde in playne or flat ſeemeth to haue an ende, yet one imagining that this ſayde carde were ſet vpon a round thing, where the endes ſhoulde touche by the lines, it would plainely appeare howe the Orient part ioyneth with the Occident, as there without the l
  4. not comparable Of a pearl or other gem: of great brilliance and value; (by extension) bright, lustrous. Thinges to be carried with you, whereof more or leſſe is to be caried for a ſhewe of our commodities to bee made. Kerſies of all orient coulours, ſpecially of ſtamel [a fine worsted], brodecloth of orient colours alſo.

orient²

  • /ˈɔː.ɹɪˌɛnt/ UK
  • /ˈɒɹ.ɪˌɛnt/ UK
  • /ˈɔɹ.iˌɛnt/ US

Where it comes from

The verb is derived from French orienter (“to orientate; to guide; to set to north”) from French orient (noun) (see above) + -er (suffix forming infinitives of first-conjugation verbs).

verb orients · orienting · oriented

  1. US, often, transitive To build or place (something) so as to face eastward. The first kind of interment was that of leaden coffins, rectangular in shape, covered with a lid, occupying deeper graves than any of the other interments, more or less accurately oriented, sometimes containing coins, as of the Emperor Gratian (ob. 383), and sometimes not. [...] The second type of i
  2. US, broadly, often, transitive To align or place (a person or object) so that his, her, or its east side, north side, etc., is positioned toward the corresponding points of the compass; (specifically, surveying) to rotate (a map attached to a plane table) until the line of direction between any two of its points is parallel to the corresponding direction in nature. Without a compass the table is oriented, when set at one end of a line previously determined, by sighting back on this line, [...]. To orient the table, when at a station unconnected with others, is more difficult.
  3. US, often, transitive To direct towards or point at a particular direction. The workers oriented all the signs to face the road.
  4. US, often, reflexive, transitive To determine which direction one is facing. Let me just orient myself and we can be on our way.
  5. US, figuratively, often, reflexive, transitive To familiarize (oneself or someone) with a circumstance or situation. Give him time to orient himself within the new hierarchy.
  6. US, figuratively, often, transitive To set the focus of (something) so as to appeal or relate to a certain group. We will orient our campaign to the youth who are often disinterested.
  7. US, intransitive, often To change direction to face a certain way. Observation stations were established at vantage points along the coast to monitor gray whale responses to the sounds generated by the air gun array. [...] At 3 miles some whales appeared to orient toward the sound.

Orient³

  • /ˈɔː.ɹɪ.ənt/ UK
  • /ˈɒɹ.ɪ.ənt/ UK
  • /ˈɔ.ɹi.ənt/ Canada, US
  • /ˈɔɹ.i.ənt/ Canada, US
  • /ˈoː.ɹi.ənt/ Australia, New Zealand

Where it comes from

See orient.

proper noun

  1. Usually preceded by the: a region or a part of the world to the east of a certain place; countries of Asia, the East (especially East Asia).
  2. dated The countries east of the Mediterranean.

proper noun

  1. A minor city in Denning Township, Franklin County, Illinois.
  2. A township and minor city therein, in Adair County, Iowa.
  3. A town in Aroostook County, Maine.
  4. A township in Osceola County, Michigan.
  5. A census-designated place and hamlet in Suffolk County, New York.
  6. A census-designated place in Scioto Township, Pickaway County, Ohio.
  7. A census-designated place in Multnomah County, Oregon.
  8. A small town in Faulk County, South Dakota.
  9. An unincorporated community in Tom Green County, Texas.
  10. A census-designated place in Ferry County, Washington.
  11. A rural locality in the Shire of Hinchinbrook, Queensland, Australia.

noun Orients

  1. A pear cultivar from the United States

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