adj.
Pronunciation: ' o ̇ r- ē - ə nt, - ē - ˌ ent
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin orient-, oriens, from present participle of oriri to rise; akin to Sanskrit ṛ ṇ oti he moves, arises, Greek ornynai to rouse, oros mountain
Date: 14th century
1 archaic : EAST 1B
2 capitalized : EAST 2
3 a : a pearl of great luster b : the luster of a pearl