orientation
noun
ori·en·ta·tion
| \ ˌȯr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shən
, -ˌen-\
, -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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Other Words from orientation
orientational
\ ˌȯr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shnəl
, -shə-nᵊl , -ˌen- \
adjective
, -shə-nᵊl , -ˌen- \
adjective
orientationally
adverb
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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
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 The kickoff event featured an orientation at L.A. Live’s Staples Center where more than 100 young professionals heard from panelists and guest speakers on the importance of networking and developing a personal brand. — Taylor Mims, Billboard, "AEG Partners with Los Angeles Mayor to Launch 2019 Evolve Entertainment Diversity Initiative," 25 July 2019 Student orientation at Mizzou includes information about cultural competency and the value of meeting students from different backgrounds. — Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, "Racial bias in campus discipline: When will universities look in the mirror?," 22 Apr. 2018 Smartphone makers put this in the phone to help give its orientation. — Jordan Wilkerson, Dallas News, "SMU researchers find a new way to snoop with smartphones. But should you be worried?," 12 Aug. 2019 On a recent rainy Saturday, plenty of people were strengthening their political orientation at the site where the first National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held in 1921. — Anna Fifield, Washington Post, "Paramount and paranoid: China’s Xi faces a crisis of confidence," 3 Aug. 2019 And the Democrats have noteworthy differences in their policy positions and their political orientations. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "CNN Thinks It’s ESPN," 31 July 2019 Her policy priorities will be similar to her predecessor’s, and her general orientation is similarly very pro-Europe. — Ian Bremmer, Time, "The Quick Read About… the New President-elect of the European Commission," 19 July 2019These 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.
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More Definitions for orientation
orientation
noun
English Language Learners Definition of orientation
: a person's feelings, interests, and beliefs
: a main interest, quality, or goal
: the process of giving people training and information about a new job, situation, etc.
See the full definition for orientation in the English Language Learners Dictionary
orientation
noun
ori·en·ta·tion
| \ ˌōr-ē-ən-ˈtā-shən, ˌȯr-, -ˌen-
\
\
Medical Definition of orientation
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
Other Words from orientation
orientational
\ -shnəl, -shən-ᵊl
\
adjective
\
adjective
orientationally
\ -ē
\
adverb
\
adverb
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