orientation Hear it!

orientation definition

ori·en·ta·tion (ôr′ē en tās̸hən, ōr′-)

noun

  1. an orienting or being oriented
    1. position with relation to the points of the compass
    2. the planning of church architecture so that the altar is in the east end
  2. familiarization with and adaptation to a situation or environment; specif.,
    1. Psychol. awareness of one's environment as to time, space, objects, and persons
    2. a period or process of introduction and adjustment
  3. a tendency to respond or act in a certain way with respect to a particular person, situation, phenomenon, etc. one's sexual orientation
  4. Biol. the position or change of position of an organism or part under a stimulus such as gravity or light
  5. Chem.
    1. the position and arrangement of atoms or radicals in a molecule
    2. the ordering of molecules, crystals, etc. so that the axes point in a particular direction

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.