oriental

eastern

adjective oh-ree-en-TAHL Less Common

Also means

oriental

Usage Note

Oriental describes what lies to the east (la costa oriental, 'the eastern coast') and is used as a cultural descriptor for East Asian things (cocina oriental, 'Asian cuisine'). In Uruguay and Argentina, oriental is also a demonym — a citizen of Uruguay is an oriental because Uruguay's official name is República Oriental del Uruguay. This usage can be disorienting for learners from other regions.

Examples

"El sol sale por el lado oriental."

Natural Translation

The sun rises on the eastern side.

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