orientation

noun

ori·​en·​ta·​tion ˌȯr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shən 

-ˌen-

plural orientations

1

a

: the act or process of orienting or of being oriented

These materials are for the orientation of new employees.

b

: the state of being oriented

the orientation of the main altar of the church

broadly : arrangement, alignment

the orientation of molecules

2

a

: a usually general or lasting direction of thought, inclination, or interest

… the fundamentally human orientation of Greek art …

—Bruce Cole

This company has a decidedly conservative orientation.

b

: a person's sexual identity or self-identification as bisexual, straight, gay, lesbian, pansexual, etc. : the state of being bisexual, straight, gay, lesbian, pansexual, etc. : sexual orientation

3

: change of position by organs, organelles, or organisms in response to external stimulus

The plant's orientation is toward light.

orientational

ˌȯr-ē-ən-ˈtā-sh(ə-)nəl 

-ˌen-

adjective

orientationally adverb

Synonyms of orientation

• aspect
• alignment
• exposure

Examples of orientation in a Sentence

These materials are used for the orientation of new employees.

They identified as bisexual in orientation.

The organization has a decidedly conservative orientation.

Her later works were more introspective in orientation.

New students need to go through a short orientation before they begin classes.

Recent Examples on the Web

When audiences can easily identify a publisher's ownership, affiliations, editorial orientation and reporting history, they are better equipped to evaluate information on its merits. — Jeremy Fields, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

An uncharted exploration The spacecraft is capturing data about the rotation rates, orientations and shapes of frozen objects that orbit in the Kuiper Belt. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

The horizontal orientation of the home’s large terraces (which are enclosed by parapets) recalls two of Wright’s prior residential architecture explorations. — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2026

The model has helped the team build detailed simulations of how chromium specifically corrodes when exposed to FLiNaK salt under different levels of mechanical stress and changes in the orientation of the metal surface. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing orientation

• freshman orientation
• sexual orientation

Rhymes for orientation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

orientation

noun

ori·​en·​ta·​tion ˌōr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shən 

ˌȯr-ē-ˌen-

1

a

: the act or process of orienting or of being oriented

b

: the state of being oriented

2

a

: a usually general or lasting direction of thought, inclination, or interest

b

: a person's sexual identity or self-identification

bisexual in orientation

3

: change of position by a cell or organism or by one of their parts in response to outside stimulus

Medical Definition

orientation

noun

ori·​en·​ta·​tion ˌōr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shən, ˌȯr-, -ˌen- 

1

a

: the act or process of orienting or of being oriented

b

: the state of being oriented

2

: a usually general or lasting direction of thought, inclination, or interest see sexual orientation

3

: change of position by organs, organelles, or organisms in response to external stimulus

4

: awareness of the existing situation with reference to time, place, and identity of persons

psychological orientation

orientational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective

orientationally

-ē 

adverb