orientation

noun

ori·en·ta·tion | \ ˌȯr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shən

, -ˌen-\

Definition of orientation

1a : 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

2a : 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, heterosexual, homosexual, pansexual, etc. : the state of being bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual, 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.

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Examples of orientation in a Sentence

patients identifying themselves as homosexual or bisexual in orientation He makes no secret of his orientation. The organization has a decidedly conservative orientation. Her later works were more introspective in orientation. These materials are used for the orientation of new employees. New students need to go through a short orientation before they begin classes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Whereas Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean once made sly and indirect references to their sexualities, Abstract presents his orientation as a matter of fact. — Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, "Brockhampton Grows Up," 2 Sep. 2019 General Manager Brian Johnson said the hotel hired more than 650 employees through its job fair and held its first orientation last week with training continuing this week. — Melissa Yeager, azcentral, "Great Wolf Lodge Arizona's water park is almost ready. Here's what it looks like," 27 Aug. 2019 As part of their orientation, the new reporters watched a video which laid out the Chinese persecution of Falun Gong followers. — NBC News, "Trump, Qanon and an impending judgment day: Behind the Facebook-fueled rise of The Epoch Times," 20 Aug. 2019 College officials say the existing greenhouse is outmoded, its current east-to-west orientation less beneficial than the coming north-to-south structures that will get the most out of sun exposure. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Cuyamaca College preparing to expand Ornamental Horticulture area," 19 Aug. 2019 Attracted by California’s climate and its reactionary political orientation, thousands of white Southerners migrated west in the decades after the Civil War. — Kevin Waite, The New Republic, "California’s Forgotten Confederate History," 19 Aug. 2019 McInnes long denied that the group was racist in its orientation, before quitting the Proud Boys in the fall as its legal exposure increased. — The Washington Post, oregonlive.com, "2 Proud Boys convicted of assault charges on antifa activists in NY," 19 Aug. 2019 The bottom line is that orientation matters along with speed and weight, which will help illustrate rules for drones flying over crowds of people—an absolute necessity if the consumer drone industry has any hope of growing. — Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics, "What Happens When a Drone Crashes Into Your Face?," 22 Aug. 2019 Call to register for this free orientation at 860-561-7583. — courant.com, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 5 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'orientation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.