rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryoccidentalWestern origin or culture
adjective / noun

occidental

ok-sih-DEN-tul/ˌɑːksɪˈdentl/

Of or from Western countries or cultures.

The globe highlights occidental countries in North America and western Europe.

An Atlantic-centered globe with North America and western Europe gently emphasized, providing a simple geographic illustration of countries commonly associated with the West.
Etymology
occidentLatinsunset, western sky
+alLatinrelating to

Occidens names the sunset or western sky: west is where the sun goes down. The geographical adjective later extended to Western countries and cultures, especially Western Europe and its derivative civilizations.

In context

SOAS University of London149:51
… the european artistic influence is indeed most striking in paintings with western subject matter such as as i told the occidental mythology biblical sense or european people …
The Idea of Iran: The Safavid Era (Part 2) | SOAS

More examples

  • The course compares occidental and Asian traditions in philosophy.
  • Her paintings combine occidental techniques with Japanese themes.
  • The memoir describes an Occidental's first impressions of Japan.

Forms

occidental · occidentals

Similar words

Western
The usual modern term; occidental sounds formal or dated.