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# orientation

noun (orientation, orientations; an orientation)

«orientation» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The direction something faces or points: north, south, up, sideways. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#m1)
2. (school) A short welcome time or tour that helps new pupils or workers learn their way around. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#m2)
3. (maps, maths) Finding your way using a map and compass; or how a shape is turned. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#m3)
4. (formal) A person's basic beliefs, interests or who they are attracted to (as in «sexual orientation»). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#m4)

### In the lessons

In maths, the orientation of a shape changes when you rotate or reflect it; a page can be portrait or landscape orientation. In geography and outdoor education, orienteering is a sport of finding your way with a map. In school, «orientation day» welcomes new students. Phrases: «portrait/landscape orientation», «orientation day», «sense of orientation», «sexual orientation».

### Examples

- Turn the page to landscape orientation for your graph. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#x1)
- The new pupils had an orientation tour of the school. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#x2)
- After the shape is rotated, its orientation changes but its size stays the same. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#x3)
- Use the compass to check the orientation of the map. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#x4)
- The house has a south-facing orientation, so it gets lots of sun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#x5)
- Freshers' week at university begins with orientation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/#x6)

### Note

Countable and uncountable. Verb: orient (US) / orientate (UK). Related: orienteering. Maths: rotations and reflections change orientation; translations do not. «Sexual orientation» is a respectful formal phrase used in law and health.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «orientation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orientation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«orientation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/orientation.html) on Mova free.