Orientation
/ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃən/
Definitions
3 meaningsA person's basic attitude, beliefs, or feelings about a subject or issue.
/ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃən/
His political orientation is very conservative.
💡 Simply: It's like your personal compass for ideas and feelings. Your orientation is how you generally feel or what you believe about something, like whether you're pro or against something, or what kind of person you're attracted to.
👶 For kids: It's like what you think or how you feel about something, like if you like to play games or like to draw.
More Examples
The company strives to maintain a customer-centric orientation.
The school provides an orientation session for new students to familiarize them with its policies.
How It's Used
"Therapy can help individuals explore their sexual orientation and self-identity."
"Societal shifts often reflect changes in political or ideological orientation."
The process of giving new employees or students information about a new environment.
/ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃən/
The company provided a detailed orientation for all new employees.
💡 Simply: It's the welcome party and the helpful info session you get when you start a new job or school. They show you around, tell you the rules, and help you get settled in.
👶 For kids: It's like when you go to a new school and someone shows you around and tells you where everything is.
More Examples
The students attended an orientation to familiarize themselves with the campus.
The first day was a day of orientation for new hires.
How It's Used
"The university's orientation program helps incoming freshmen acclimate to campus life."
"The new hires attended an orientation to learn about company policies."
The act of determining one's position relative to surroundings.
/ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃən/
The map helped the hikers maintain their orientation.
💡 Simply: It means figuring out where you are in relation to everything else. Like, if you're lost in the woods, it's about finding north, south, east, and west so you know which way to go.
👶 For kids: It's like knowing where you are and which way to go.
More Examples
The astronaut's orientation in space was crucial for the mission.
Losing one's orientation can be dangerous in a dense fog.
How It's Used
"Using a compass is crucial for maintaining correct orientation in the wilderness."
"The pilot lost his orientation in the storm."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
sense of orientation
A person's ability to understand their position in relation to their environment.
"Despite the maze, I retained a good sense of orientation and found my way out quickly."
sexual orientation
A person's emotional and sexual attraction to another person.
"The debate focused on discrimination based on sexual orientation."
From French *orientation*, from *orienter* (to orient) and ultimately from Latin *oriens*, meaning "east" or "rising (sun)". The word initially referred to direction or positioning, later expanding to include guidance and attitudes.
The word gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, initially concerning geographical direction and later extending to psychological and social contexts.
Memory tip
Think of it as the direction your thoughts and feelings point towards.
Word Origin
"east, rising (sun)"