orient Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the countries of Asia
    East.
  2. noun the hemisphere that includes Eurasia and Africa and Australia
    eastern hemisphere.
  3. verb be oriented
    point.
    • The weather vane points North
    • the dancers toes pointed outward
  4. verb determine one's position with reference to another point
    orientate.
    • We had to orient ourselves in the forest
  5. verb cause to point
    • Orient the house towards the West
  6. verb familiarize (someone) with new surroundings or circumstances
    • The dean of students tries to orient the freshmen
  7. verb adjust to a specific need or market
    tailor.
    • a magazine oriented towards young people
    • tailor your needs to your surroundings

WordNet

O"ri*ent adjective
Etymology
F., fr. L. oriens, -entis, p. pr. of oriri to rise. See Origin.
Definitions
  1. Rising, as the sun.
    Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun. Milton.
  2. Eastern; oriental. "The orient part." Hakluyt.
  3. Bright; lustrous; superior; pure; perfect; pellucid; -- used of gems and also figuratively, because the most perfect jewels are found in the East. "Pearls round and orient." Jer. Taylor. "Orient gems." Wordsworth. "Orient liquor in a crystal glass." Milton.
O"ri*ent noun
Definitions
  1. The part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the morning; the east.
    [Morn] came furrowing all the orient into gold. Tennyson.
  2. The countries of Asia or the East. Chaucer.
    Best built city throughout the Orient. Sir T. Herbert.
  3. A pearl of great luster. R. Carlyle.
O"ri*ent transitive verb
Etymology
F. orienter. Cf. Orientate.
Definitions
  1. To define the position of, in relation to the orient or east; hence, to ascertain the bearings of.
  2. Fig.: To correct or set right by recurring to first principles; to arrange in order; to orientate.

Webster 1913