Definition of position
1 : an act of placing or arranging: such asa : the laying down of a proposition or thesisb : an arranging in order
2 : a point of view adopted and held to made my position on the issue clear
3a : the point or area occupied by a physical object : location took her position at the head of the lineb : a certain arrangement of bodily parts rose to a standing position
4 : a market commitment in securities or commodities; also : the inventory of a market trader
5a : relative place, situation, or standing is now in a position to make decisions on his ownb : social or official rank or statusc : an employment for which one has been hired : job a position with a brokerage firmd : a situation that confers advantage or preference
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Examples of position in a Sentence
From this position, you can see all of New York City's skyline.
Actors, please assume your positions. The show is about to begin.
The child fell asleep in a sitting position.
I was in an uncomfortable position and had to move.
I was uncomfortable, so I shifted position.
Return your seat to an upright position for landing.
Origin and Etymology of position
Middle English posycion, from Anglo-French posicioun, from Latin position-, positio, from ponere to lay down, put, place, from Old Latin *posinere, from po- away (akin to Old Church Slavonic po-, perfective prefix, Greek apo away) + Latin sinere to leave — more at of
First Known Use: 14th century
position
Definition of position
positioned
;positioning
play \pə-ˈzi-sh(ə-)niŋ\transitive verb
: to put in a certain position positioned the chairs around the room positioned the company in the global market
Examples of position in a Sentence
He positioned the chairs around the table.
The company is positioning itself to take advantage of a new market.
The shortstop was positioned well to make the play.
She positioned herself by the door.
1817
First Known Use of position
1817
POSITION Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of position for English Language Learners
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: the place where someone or something is in relation to other people or things
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: the place where someone or something should be
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: the way someone stands, sits, or lies down
position
Definition of position for English Language Learners
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: to put (something or someone) in a particular position
POSITION Defined for Kids
Definition of position for Students
1 : the way in which something or someone is placed or arranged The seat is in the upright position.
2 : a way of looking at or considering things What's your position on the issue?
3 : the place where a person or thing is or should be They took their positions on stage.
4 : the situation that someone or something is in Your request puts me in an awkward position.
5 : the rank or role a person has in an organization or in society She rose to a position of leadership.
6 : job 1
Word Root of position
The Latin word ponere, meaning “to place” or “to put,” and its form positus give us the roots pon and pos. Words from the Latin ponere have something to do with putting. A position is the location or way in which something has been placed. To expose is to put out in the open. To postpone is to put off until a later time. Posture is the way a body has been placed.
Definition of position for Students
positioned
;positioning
: to put in a particular place or arrangement He positioned the helmet on his head.
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of position
: a particular arrangement or location; specifically : an arrangement of the parts of the body considered particularly desirable for some medical or surgical procedure knee-chest position the prone position
position
Medical Definition of position
: to put in proper position
Learn More about position
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See words that rhyme with position Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for position Spanish Central: Translation of position Nglish: Translation of position for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of position for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about position
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