Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Denoting or characteristic of countries of Europe and the Western Hemisphere: Relating to the cultural, historical, or geographical sphere of the West, as opposed to the Orient (East).
   • Western: Pertaining to the western part of the world or western customs and ideas.

2. Noun:

   • A native or inhabitant of the Occident: A person from a Western country.
   • An artificial language: A constructed international auxiliary language created in the early 20th century.

Examples

• Adjective:

  • Occidental philosophy has roots in ancient Greek thought.
  • The museum's collection focuses on occidental art from the Renaissance period.

• Noun (person):

  • As an occidental, he found some Eastern customs unfamiliar.
• Noun (language):
  • Occidental was designed to be easily learnable by speakers of European languages.

Advanced Usage

• Occidental is often used in formal, academic, or historical contexts to contrast with "Oriental." In modern usage, the terms "Western" and "Eastern" are generally preferred to avoid the historical baggage associated with "Occidental" and "Oriental."
  • The study compared occidental and oriental approaches to medicine.

Variants and Related Words

• Occident (n): The countries of the West, especially Europe and the Americas.
  • He traveled from the Orient to the Occident.
• Occidentalism (n): The study of or representation of Western cultures.
• Occidentalize (v): To make or become Western in character or ideas.
  • The process to occidentalize certain legal systems was complex.

Synonyms

• Western: Of or relating to the West.
• Hesperian (poetic/literary): Western.

Antonyms

• Oriental: Denoting or characteristic of countries of East Asia. (Note: This term is also now often considered dated or potentially offensive in some contexts.)
• Eastern: Of or relating to the East.

Adjective

1. denoting or characteristic of countries of Europe and the western hemisphere
   • occidental civilization
   • Hesperian culture

Noun

1. an artificial language
2. a native inhabitant of the Occident