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o·ri·ent (ôrē-ənt, -ĕnt)
Share:
n.
1. Orient The countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia.
2.
a. The luster characteristic of a pearl of high quality.
b. 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.
tr.v. (ôrē-ĕnt) or·i·ent·ed, or·i·ent·ing, or·i·ents
1.
a. To align or position in a particular direction or in a particular relation to the points of the compass: orient the swimming pool north and south; oriented the telescope toward the moon.
b. To build (a church) with the nave laid out in an east-west direction and the main altar usually at the eastern end.
2. To determine the bearings of (oneself); cause (one) to know one's position in relation to the surroundings: oriented himself by the neon sign on top of the building.
3. To make familiar with a new situation: events to help students get oriented to life on campus.
4. To provide with a primary purpose or focus of attention: a medical system that is oriented toward the prevention of disease.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oriēns, orient-, rising sun, east, from present participle of orīrī, to arise, be born; see er-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.