orient

Meaning

Name

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)”)

Noun

1. The part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the morning; the east.
2. (obsolete) A pearl originating from the Indian region, reputed to be of great brilliance; (by extension) any pearl of particular beauty and value.
3. The brilliance or colour of a high-quality pearl.

Adj

1. Rising, like the morning sun.
2. Of the colour of the sky at daybreak; bright in colour, from red to yellow.
3. Of, facing, or located in the east; eastern, oriental.
4. Of a pearl or other gem: of great brilliance and value; (by extension) bright, lustrous.

Verb

1. To build or place (something) so as to face eastward.
2. 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.
3. To direct towards or point at a particular direction.
4. To determine which direction one is facing.
5. To familiarize (oneself or someone) with a circumstance or situation.
6. To set the focus of (something) so as to appeal or relate to a certain group.
7. To change direction to face a certain way.

Synonyms

east

orientate

direct

aim

point

eastern

eastern hemisphere

address

tailor

oriental

level

eastward

denote

designate

direction finding

easterly

excellent

exhibit

extend

familiarize

gear

⚙️

give

head

indicate

intend

keynote

levant

lustrous

make

manifest

orientation

pay

💸

point out

precious

prove

read

📖

refute

reorient

reserve

rising

shining

show

sparkling

steer

throw

train

🚋

turn

wend

canalise

direct towards

due east

sense of orientation

airt

get one’s bearings

design

travel purposefully

acclimatize

orientate

adjust

allocate

angle

appropriate

ascending

betoken

bright

brilliant

canalize

charge

correct

Hyphenated as

or‧i‧ent

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɔː.ɹɪ.ənt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: orient

Cognate with French: orient

In summary

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.