1. a scholar who studies the languages, cultures, and history of Asian countries
2. a person who creates art depicting Middle Eastern or Asian themes and subjects

Examples

• The orientalist spent years learning Arabic and Persian.
• Many 19th-century orientalists translated ancient texts from Sanskrit.
• The museum featured paintings by French orientalist artists.
• She became an orientalist specializing in Chinese literature.
• The orientalist’s research focused on Islamic philosophy.
• European orientalists often depicted romanticized scenes of the East.