Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "Orientalist" tana nufin mutumin da ya yi nazari ko yana da sha'awar al'adu, harsuna, tarihi, da kuma al'ummomin Gabashin Duniya, musamman na Asiya da Gabas ta Tsakiya. Kalmar kuma na iya komawa ga malami ko ƙwararre a cikin nazarin Gabas, wanda ya ƙunshi fannonin ilimi daban-daban kamar ilimin ɗan adam, tarihi, adabi, fasaha, da addinin al'adun Gabas. Kalmar “Orientalist” a wasu lokuta na iya ɗaukar ma’anar mulkin mallaka na al’adu, ƙazamin ƙazamin ƙaura, da ƙaƙƙarfan ƙa’ida, musamman a yanayin mulkin mallaka da Gabas ta tsakiya a matsayin zance.