Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Oriental” come from?

Oriental comes from Middle English oriental, from Middle French oriental, meaning of or pertaining to the east or eastern regions.

Oriental (English): Of a pearl or other precious stone: having a...

Definitions

  1. Of a pearl or other precious stone: having a...

Ancestry of “Oriental”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishoriental—
2Middle Frenchoriental—
3Latinorientālis—
4Latinoriēns—
5LatinoriorI rise, get up; I appear, become visible; I am...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ér-—

Words derived from “Oriental”

  • oriental
  • orientalist
  • orientally
  • orientalize
  • Orientalize
  • orientality
  • Orientalise
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ér- →