oc·ci·den·tal
ˌäk-sə-ˈden-tᵊl 
often capitalized
1
: of, relating to, or situated in the Occident : western
2
: of or relating to Occidentals
occidentally
adverb
: a member of one of the occidental peoples
especially
: a person of European ancestry
Examples of occidental in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2023
Whenever Chinese interests were represented in some important conference or a Chinese was in difficulty in some misunderstanding of occidental customs, Tom played a helpful role.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2022
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Officers responded just before 1:30 a.m. to a report of a man armed with a sword on the 3100 block of Occidental Drive near Julliard Drive.
—Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
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Adjective
Is there a more terrifying, fascinating, weirdly appealing time in the occidental imagination than the Middle Ages?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2023
Whenever Chinese interests were represented in some important conference or a Chinese was in difficulty in some misunderstanding of occidental customs, Tom played a helpful role.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2022
Noun
The vessel was detected about 80 miles off the coast of Cabra Island, in the Philippine province of Occidental Mindoro.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Officers responded just before 1:30 a.m. to a report of a man armed with a sword on the 3100 block of Occidental Drive near Julliard Drive.
—Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for occidental
Cite this Entry
“Occidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occidental. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
occidental
1 of 2 adjective
oc·ci·den·tal
ˌäk-sə-ˈdent-ᵊl
often capitalized
1
: of, relating to, or located in the Occident : western
2
: of or relating to Occidentals
Occidental
2 of 2 noun
: a person of European ancestry
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