Word Explorer

Orient

/ˈɔː.ɹɪ.ənt/

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).

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "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
The countries east of the Mediterranean.

proper noun

1
A city and town in Illinois.
2
A city and town in Iowa.
3
A town in Maine.
4
A census-designated place and hamlet in New York.

noun

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

verb

1
To build or place (something) so as to face eastward.
2
(by extension) 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) 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.
"The workers oriented all the signs to face the road."
4
To determine which direction one is facing.
"Let me just orient myself and we can be on our way."

🔄 Synonyms of "Orient"

7 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
pointnoun	A small dot or mark.
orientateverb	(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, reflexive) To determine one's position relative to the surroundings; to orient (oneself).
reorientverb	(ambitransitive) To orient again; to make or become oriented after dislocation or disorientation.
eastern hemispherenoun	The hemisphere in Earth to the east of the Greenwich meridian (zero degree longitude) and west of 180 degrees longitude (approximately the International Date Line), containing Africa, Asia and Europe, except for a small part of eastern Russia.
change orientation	—
eastnoun	The direction of the earth's rotation, specifically 90°.
eastern	Of, facing, situated in, or related to the east.

↔️ Antonyms of "Orient"

Words with the opposite meaning.

Word	Definition
disorientateverb	(sometimes proscribed, chiefly British) Alternative form of disorient. [To cause to lose orientation or direction.]
disorientverb	To confuse or befuddle.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Orient"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
eastern	Of, facing, situated in, or related to the east.
eastnoun	The direction of the earth's rotation, specifically 90°.
eastern hemispherenoun	The hemisphere in Earth to the east of the Greenwich meridian (zero degree longitude) and west of 180 degrees longitude (approximately the International Date Line), containing Africa, Asia and Europe, except for a small part of eastern Russia.
pointnoun	A small dot or mark.
orientateverb	(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, reflexive) To determine one's position relative to the surroundings; to orient (oneself).
reorientverb	(ambitransitive) To orient again; to make or become oriented after dislocation or disorientation.
change orientation	—
asianoun	The largest continent, located east of Europe (typically delimited by the Urals), west of the Pacific Ocean, north of Oceania and south of the Arctic Ocean.
asiannoun	A person from the continent of Asia, or a descendant thereof - especially:
levantnoun	A cultural region of West Asia, consisting of the countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea, namely Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus (and sometimes, especially in a historical context, also including Turkey and Egypt, then part of the Ottoman Empire).
orientalnoun	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.
gesellschaftnoun	(sociology) A hypothetical mode of society, made up of self-serving individuals linked by impersonal ties; as opposed to Gemeinschaft.
occnoun	(US, banking) Initialism of Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
middlenoun	A centre, midpoint.
guidenoun	Someone who guides, especially someone hired to show people around a place or an institution and offer information and explanation, or to lead them through dangerous terrain.
occidentnoun	The Western world; the part of the world excluding Asia and Africa.
governverb	(transitive) To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
guidancenoun	Advice or counselling on some topic.
guidingnoun	Guidance.
directionnoun	A theoretical line (physically or mentally) followed from a point of origin or towards a destination. May be relative (e.g. up, left, outbound, dorsal), geographical (e.g. north), rotational (e.g. clockwise), or with respect to an object or location (e.g. toward Boston).