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

• aspect
• exposure
• frontage

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

Very much a craftsman focused on the technology, the user experience, very different orientation. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2024

Per the news station, the father and son were visiting the University of Central Florida for orientation. —Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

Meanwhile, the museum itself functions as a cosmological clock, as parts of the building align with the Sun’s orientation on solstices and equinoxes. —Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024

Having women in the C-suite improves firms’ customer orientation, and, in turn, enhances firms’ market performance, as shown by researchers from St. Edward’s University, University of Mississippi, and University of Texas at Austin. —Corinne Post, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Optimize your video size and orientation for each platform. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024

Top tip: frame this video in the same orientation as your movie to you can edit them together to make a movie of eclipse day. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Kelly, who became president last year, has also said that incoming freshmen will be taught at orientation about the college’s origins and evolution. —Brandi Kellam, ProPublica, 14 Mar. 2024

The question is where and when that orientation to flexibility appears. —Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing orientation

• freshman orientation
• sexual orientation

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