orientation
or-ee-en-TAY-shun
/ˌɔːriənˈteɪʃən/
The determination of the relative position of something or someone.
In navigation, it specifically means aligning oneself with the points of the compass.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'oriens', meaning 'rising' (referring to the sun). Early Christian maps were drawn with East at the top, so to 'orient' oneself was literally to face the East.
Word relationships
- alignment: Alignment is the state of being in a straight line; orientation is the direction that line faces.
- disorientation: The state of being confused about one's position or direction.
Commonly confused with
- direction: Direction is where you are going; orientation is how you are positioned relative to your surroundings.
Word family
- orient (verb): To find one's position in relation to new or strange surroundings.
- oriented (adjective): Aligned or positioned in a particular direction.
Collocations
- spatial orientation
- sexual orientation
- orientation program
Example sentences
- "The orientation of the stones at Stonehenge suggests they were aligned with the midsummer sunrise." Archaeology
- "The hiker lost her orientation in the thick fog and began walking in circles." Hiking
Memory hook
To find the 'Orient' (East) is to find your way. Face the East.
When not to use
Do not use when you simply mean 'location'; orientation is about the direction you are facing.
Fun facts
- Many ancient temples were 'oriented' so that the sun would hit the altar on a specific day of the year.
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