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occidental

/ˌˈɑksəˌdɛntl/
/ˈɒksɪdɛntəl/
IPA guide

You can use the adjective occidental to describe the Western part of the world, as opposed to Asia and the Middle East. The United States is an occidental country.

The word occidental is uncommon these days, in part because it's historically been the opposite of oriental, a term for the Eastern countries of the world, mainly Asia — which has come to be considered offensive (or at least old-fashioned). You won't hurt anyone's feelings by describing Europe or Canada as occidental, though few people will know what you mean. The Latin root, occidentem , means "western sky" or "sunset."

Definitions of occidental
  1. adjective
    denoting or characteristic of countries of Europe and the western hemisphere
    occidental civilization”
    synonyms: Hesperian
    western
    relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
Pronunciation
US
/ˌˈɑksəˌdɛntl/
UK
/ˈɒksɪdɛntəl/
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