English · Word Candidate

Oriental

/ɔːɹiˈɛntəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: Orientals

Sense 1

Meaning · English

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

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

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

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A precious stone, especially an orient pearl.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

A member or descendant of the peoples and cultures of the Orient.

NounRegister: dated

Examples

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.”

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “Oriental” mean?

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

Is “Oriental” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.