orientation

orientation — noun

1. the gender or genders a person feels sexual or romantic attraction toward

1.noun
Definition

the gender or genders a person feels sexual or romantic attraction toward

Example

The form asks about sexual orientation only for health research.

fixed phrase: sexual orientation

Ava spoke openly about her orientation with two close friends.

Common collocations
  • sexual orientation
  • question your orientation
  • disclose your orientation
  • regardless of sexual orientation
Synonyms
  • sexuality

    broader and can include a person's sexual life or expression, not only attraction

  • sexual identity

    can stress the label or identity a person uses for themselves

  • romantic orientation

    focuses on romantic attraction, which may not fully match sexual attraction

Grammar Patterns

sexual orientation

question your orientation

regardless of sexual orientation

Usage Note

Usually appears in the phrase sexual orientation, or orientation when that full phrase is already understood. Distinguish from gender identity: this sense is about attraction, not about whether someone identifies as male, female, non-binary, or another gender.

Common Mistakes

The survey asked about gender orientation.
The survey asked about sexual orientation.
Orientation in this sense is normally used in the phrase sexual orientation, and gender identity is a different idea.

2. the first set of talks, instructions, and practice that helps someone settle int

2.nounC2
Definition

the first set of talks, instructions, and practice that helps someone settle into unfamiliar work, study, or an activity

Example

New nurses attend a two-day orientation before entering the ward.

attend orientation

The college held orientation in August for first-year students.

hold orientation

Common collocations
  • orientation session
  • orientation week
  • new-student orientation
  • staff orientation
Synonyms
  • induction

    common in workplaces and often slightly more formal

  • onboarding

    a modern workplace term, especially in business settings

  • briefing

    usually shorter and more focused on giving key information

  • introduction

    a broad word that may be less structured than orientation

Grammar Patterns

attend orientation

hold an orientation

orientation for new students

Usage Note

Often countable in school and workplace contexts: attend orientation, hold an orientation, orientation for new staff. The subject is usually a school, employer, hospital, or program.

Common Mistakes

My screen orientation starts at nine.
My orientation session starts at nine.
Sense 4 is a training event; sense 5 is about physical direction.

3. the way something is turned, placed, or aimed in relation to a direction or anot

3.nounC1
Definition

the way something is turned, placed, or aimed in relation to a direction or another point

Example

The house has a south-facing orientation that brings in winter sun.

south-facing orientation

Please check the screen orientation before showing the video.

screen orientation

Common collocations
  • screen orientation
  • south-facing orientation
  • change the orientation
  • orientation toward the river
Synonyms
  • direction

    the broad everyday word, but it may not stress exact positioning

  • alignment

    often emphasizes how something lines up with another thing

  • positioning

    highlights where or how something has been placed

  • layout

    can refer more broadly to the arrangement of parts in a space

Antonyms
  • misalignment

    used when parts are not lined up in the intended direction

Grammar Patterns

screen orientation

orientation toward the sun

change the orientation

Usage Note

Common with words like screen, building, camera, map, or seat. Often followed by toward or described with compass directions such as north-facing or south-facing.

Common Mistakes

The course orientation points east.
The building orientation points east.
Sense 5 is about physical direction; courses and jobs use sense 4.

4. the main goals and kind of work that a company, school, or other organization gi

4.noun
Definition

the main goals and kind of work that a company, school, or other organization gives most attention to

Example

The museum's orientation has shifted from ticket sales to public education.

shifted from X to Y

Our school has an international orientation, so many classes use English.

international orientation

Common collocations
  • community orientation
  • international orientation
  • research orientation
  • digital orientation
Synonyms
  • focus

    a broad everyday word for what an organization gives most attention to

  • mission

    often stresses the official purpose of an organization

  • direction

    can suggest the course an organization is moving toward

  • emphasis

    highlights the area given special weight, not the whole purpose

Grammar Patterns

community orientation

international orientation

research orientation

Usage Note

Common with names of institutions such as company, school, bank, or charity. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes a person's views, and from sense 4, which is about newcomer training.

Common Mistakes

The charity offered orientation to new volunteers every Monday.
The charity offered orientation sessions to new volunteers every Monday.
Bare orientation in sense 3 means the group's goals or direction; newcomer training is sense 4.

5. a person's general set of values, preferences, and ideas that shapes what they s

5.nounC2
Definition

a person's general set of values, preferences, and ideas that shapes what they support and how they act

Example

Mina's political orientation changed after two years working overseas.

political orientation

The survey asked about each teacher's religious orientation and family values.

religious orientation

Common collocations
  • political orientation
  • religious orientation
  • practical orientation
  • orientation toward risk
Synonyms
  • outlook

    a common word for the way someone sees life or a subject

  • stance

    often focuses on a position about a public issue

  • leaning

    suggests a tendency in one direction rather than a fixed view

  • worldview

    broader and often used for a person's whole picture of life and society

Grammar Patterns

political orientation

religious orientation

orientation toward risk

Usage Note

Often modified by words like political, cultural, religious, or practical. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense describes a person's outlook, while sense 3 describes an organization's goals or working direction.

Common Mistakes

My room's orientation is very practical.
My orientation is very practical.
Sense 1 is about a person's outlook; a room uses sense 5 for physical direction.

Word family

  • orient
    verbC1
  • oriented
    adjectiveC1
  • disoriented
    adjectiveC1
  • reorient
    verbC2
  • reorientation
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/4

For noun/4, orientation is a broad word for the first information and training that helps someone start well in a new place. Induction is common in workplaces and often sounds a little more formal. Onboarding is a modern business word, especially for bringing new staff into company systems and routines. Briefing is usually shorter and gives key facts, not the full start-up process. Introduction is the widest word and may mean only a first explanation, not a planned program. You can say New nurses attend orientation before entering the ward. In an office, HR may call the same process onboarding or induction instead.

orientation ↗induction ↗onboardingbriefing ↗introduction ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • orientation toward
  • orientation to

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Orientation grew from orient, a word first linked to the east, where the sun rises. Through Latin oriens and later French forms, English first used orient for turning something toward the east or setting its direction. From that physical sense, orientation later widened to mean helping people find their place in a new job or course, and more generally a person's or organization's usual direction in thought, aims, or attraction.