occident

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: Oc=ci=dent

CIDE DICTIONARY

occident, n. [F., fr. L. occidens, occidentis, fr. occidents, p. pr. of occidere to fall or go down. See Occasion.].

 The part of the horizon where the sun last appears in the evening; that part of the earth towards the sunset; the west; -- opposed to orient. Specifically, in former times, Europe as opposed to Asia; now, also, the Western hemisphere.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
"I may wander from east to occident."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

occident, n. poet. or rhet.
1 (prec. by the) the West.
2 western Europe.
3 Europe, America, or both, as distinct from the Orient.
4 European in contrast to Oriental civilization.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L occidens -entis setting, sunset, west (as OCCASION)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

occident

n. The part of the world lying west (or east) of the Orient. It is largely inhabited by Christians, a powerful subtribe of the Hypocrites, whose principal industries are murder and cheating, which they are pleased to call "war" and "commerce." These, also, are the principal industries of the Orient.

THESAURUS

occident

Africa, America, Antipodes, Asia, Asia Major, Asia Minor, Australasia, East, Eastern Hemisphere, Eurasia, Europe, Far East, Levant, Middle East, Near East, New World, Oceania, Old World, Orient, West, Western Hemisphere, continent, down under, eastland, landmass, the old country