ocidentais

Ocidentais is a term used to describe people, cultures, and societies associated with the Western world. In Portuguese-language discourse, it denotes those linked to the historical and cultural formation commonly described as the West, especially Europe and, by historical extension, the Americas. The word derives from ocidente, meaning west, which comes from Latin occidens in the sense of the setting sun and, by extension, the western direction. The plural form ocidentais is used when referring to people or groups.

The scope and definition of ocidentais are not fixed. In many contexts, it covers Europe and North America, with varying inclusion of other regions influenced by Western institutions and culture, such as parts of Latin America or Australasia. The concept often encompasses shared historical experiences and frameworks—Greco-Roman heritage, Judeo-Christian or secular-liberal traditions, and the development of liberal-democratic political systems and capitalist economies. However, these associations are broad and contested, and different scholars emphasize different components or challenge the idea of a homogenous West.

In modern usage, ocidentais appears in debates on globalization, Westernization, and cultural exchange, as well as in discussions of geopolitical power and cultural identity. Critics argue that the category can be Eurocentric or essentialist, obscuring diversity within Western societies and the influence of non-Western ideas on global history. Some scholars prefer terms like Ocidente or the global North/global South divide to capture more nuanced realities. See also orientais, Ocidente, Occidentalism.