orientalism
noun
Forms orientalisms
- noun (art, architecture, literature) The tendency to represent eastern subjects, to assume stylistical characteristics original of the East, especially in 19th century Europe.
- noun (countable) An Eastern word, expression, or custom.
- noun (postcolonialism, capitalized) A patronizing Western attitude towards Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African societies.
Synonyms
Etymology
From French orientalisme, from oriental (“eastern, Oriental”). In the sense “patronizing Western attitude” popularized by Edward Said's 1978 book Orientalism. Equivalent to Oriental + -ism.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any system, doctrine, custom, expression, etc., peculiar to Oriental people.
- noun Knowledge or use of Oriental languages, history, literature, etc. London Quart. Rev.
Etymology [Cf. F. orientalisme.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “orientalism”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details