orientation

[awr-ee-uhn-tey-shuhn, -en-, ohr-]

noun

1. the act or process of orienting.

2. the state of being oriented.

3. an introduction, as to guide one in adjusting to new surroundings, employment, activity, or the like.

   New employees receive two days of orientation.

4. Psychology, Psychiatry.,  the ability to locate oneself in one's environment with reference to time, place, and people.

5. one's position in relation to true north, to points on the compass, or to a specific place or object.

6. the ascertainment of one's true position, as in a novel situation, with respect to attitudes, judgments, etc.

7. Chemistry.

   1. the relative positions of certain atoms or groups, especially in aromatic compounds.

   2. the determination of the position of substituted atoms or groups in a compound.

orientation

/ ˌɔːrɪɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of orienting or the state of being oriented

2. position or positioning with relation to the points of the compass or other specific directions

3. the adjustment or alignment of oneself or one's ideas to surroundings or circumstances

4. Also called: orientation course. 

   1. a course, programme, lecture, etc, introducing a new situation or environment

   2. ( as modifier )

      an orientation talk

5. psychol the knowledge of one's own temporal, social, and practical circumstances in life

6. basic beliefs or preferences

   sexual orientation

7. biology the change in position of the whole or part of an organism in response to a stimulus, such as light

8. chem the relative dispositions of atoms, ions, or groups in molecules or crystals

9. the siting of a church on an east-west axis, usually with the altar at the E end

Other Word Forms

• orientational adjective
• orientative adjective
• nonorientation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of orientation¹

First recorded in 1830–40; orientate + -ion

Example Sentences

Other factors in why right-wing Christians are more likely to support Trumpism include authoritarian personalities, social dominance orientation, tribalism and the role that whiteness and racism play in American evangelical Christianity.

From Salon

Over the last two months, once bipartisan-supported programs such as immigration help desks or legal orientation programs for those in detention have either been chopped altogether or taken over by the government.

From Los Angeles Times

If anything, Hochman’s law and order orientation is in line with statewide voter shifts on criminal justice reform.

From Los Angeles Times

And if you’d like to save your back or bring a few extra snacks, you can hire a mule team or rent llamas that, after taking an orientation, you will guide along the trail.

From Los Angeles Times

This political personality type and its social dominance orientation is overrepresented among right-wing Christians.

From Salon

Related Words

• direction 
• location